Paulinho shows (finally) his teeth and ends the crisis of Toluca

O Toluca can finally ‘suspire for relief’, since, in the early hours of Saturday to Sunday, he put an end to a cycle of seven consecutive ‘slips’ (loses with Santos Laguna and Tigres, and draws with Cruz Azul, Atlético San Luis, Club Tijuana, Club Léon and Club América), and soon with a categorical victory over Monterrey, by 4-0.

The marker of the Estadio Nemesio Díez was inaugurated right after the eighth minute, with the right, even the ‘artistic note’, since Brian Garcia received the ball at the entrance of the large area, worked well on an opponent and threw the ball, back to Nicolás Castro, who shot, first, to the bottom of the goal to the guard of Esteban Andrada.

The Argentine advance would be in evidence again, just 15 minutes later, when he took the spherical, he advanced on the right wing and left it on his feet to Paulinho, who, with all the calm in the world, received, turned and ‘stuck’ him over the opposing goalkeeper, to provoke a new ‘explosion’ of joy in the stands.

Still, the Portuguese international refused to be satisfied, and once again made his, in the initial moments of the second half, this time, after a brilliant heel pass of the Brazilian Helinho. The final ‘machadada’ would appear at 90 minutes, this time, through Jesús Gallardo.

Is Paulinho (finally) back?

If Paulinho was the main figure of Toluca, in the last two sports seasons (he had 29 goals and eight assists in the first, and 33 goals and six assists in the second), he has had much more complicated life, due to a series of physical problems that have prevented him from presenting himself in his best version.

Before the Monterrey win, the Portuguese international team scored only three goals in the ten official games in which it was used by Argentine coach Antônio Mohamed. In fact, I no longer knew what it was like to score an ‘bis’ since May 7, when the ‘Atropelle’ to Los Angeles FC, by 4-0, in the second hand of the final half of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Now, the former forward Sporting, Sporting de Braga, Gil Vicente, Trofense and Santa Maria seems to have managed to turn the bad weather around, and at the very best possible time, as he ‘showed his teeth’ precisely on the day he completed the hundredth game with the shirt of the historic Mexican club.

The results (and accounts) of the Mexican Apertura tournament

So far, on the 16th and penultimate day of the regular phase of the Mexican tournament in Apertura, there have been victories, not only of Toluca, but also of Juárez (on the Atlético San Luis, by 0-1), Necaxa (on the Club Tijuana, by 1-0), Santos Laguna (on the Atlante, by 0-2), Pachuca (on the Atlas, by 1-4) and Cruz Azul (on the Tigers, by 2-3).

The only tie, for the moment, emerged in the duel that put, face to face, Pumas and Club America (two balls). However, the round will not end until Monday, with Querétaro-Puebla and Club Léon-Chivas, which have an initial whistle scheduled respectively for 00 a.m. and 2 a.m.

After the accounts, with this set of results, Toluca occupies fourth place, with the same 27 Atlas points. In front of them are just Cruz Azul (with 32 points), Club America (with 30) and Chivas (with 29, but less one game). On the last journey, which takes place after the break for international commitments, Paulinho and company will measure forces with Pachuca.