Revitalized Blanco ready for a return
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Cuauhtemoc Blanco was angry -- furious would be a better word -- when he was left off Mexico’s World Cup roster last summer.
The Club America striker was mollified somewhat when Ricardo Lavolpe stepped down as Mexico’s coach after the world championship in Germany to be replaced later by Hugo Sanchez.
Lavolpe and Blanco never saw eye to eye, and what Blanco now is intent on doing is proving that he deserves a last hurrah on the national team -- especially if it’s in time for Mexico’s match against the United States in Phoenix on Feb. 7.
To that end, Blanco has been lighting up the eight-team InterLiga tournament, which qualifies two clubs for South America’s Copa Libertadores. Tonight, the tournament moves from Texas to California for the first of three doubleheaders at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
The first eight games of the annual event produced a sizzling 27 goals, with Blanco and Brazilian striker Kleber of Necaxa leading the way with three apiece.
Blanco, a lumbering sort of player who nonetheless is gifted with a golden touch, will turn 34 next week and is nearing the end of a controversy-filled career. He remains as hot-tempered as always, however, and because he was yellow-carded in each of Club America’s first two matches -- a 1-1 tie with UAG Tecos and a 2-0 victory over Morelia -- he will be suspended for Wednesday’s match against Jaguares de Chiapas.
That means Kleber, who scored Necaxa’s opening goal in its 3-2 victory over Cruz Azul and had two more as Necaxa edged Monterrey, 3-2, can overtake Blanco with a goal tonight.
Necaxa, which already has secured its place in one of Saturday’s two finals, plays Tigres UANL at 6 p.m. and Monterrey plays Cruz Azul at 8:15.
On Wednesday night, the opener at 6 features Morelia against UAG Tecos, with Club America playing Jaguares in the 8:15 nightcap.
The first four doubleheaders, in Dallas and Houston, served to mathematically eliminate Monterrey and Morelia from qualifying for the Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the European Champions League.
The other six clubs remain alive, but only Necaxa can rest easy until Saturday.
For Club America, the defending CONCACAF champion and Mexico’s wealthiest club, doing well is essential.
Club America has not enjoyed a good spell lately. Archrival Chivas de Guadalajara won the Mexican league championship and Club America was embarrassed at December’s FIFA World Club Championship in Japan, where it was routed, 4-0, by European champion FC Barcelona, and beaten 2-1, in the third-place game by African champion Al Ahly of Egypt.
Reaching the Copa Libertadores would take some of the sting out of those setbacks.
“The truth is, yes, it would be a failure if America does not qualify for the Libertadores,” Blanco said before the InterLiga began. “We know the importance of this tournament.”
