Cruz Azul woes worsen with Crosas knee injury

Crosas, who is in his fourth year in Mexico, was hurt near the end of Saturday's match and is unlikely to play again until midway through the Clausura championship in the second half of the season.

"A scan showed ruptured cruciate ligaments in his right knee, so the holding midfielder will be off the pitch for approximately six months, medical services chief Alfonso Jimenez reported," the club said in a statement on their website (www.cruzazulfc.com).

The defeat at the Estadio Azul left the Blue Machine two from bottom of the Apertura standings with six points from seven matches.

They are nine points behind America, UNAM Pumas, who beat bottom-placed title holders Santos Laguna 4-3 on Friday, and Leon who can open a three point-lead if they win at Toluca on Sunday.

Mexico striker Oribe Peralta put CONCACAF champions America ahead in the 48th minute and Argentine Dario Benedetto increased their lead in the 75th with his seventh goal in six matches.

"Sadly we're not understanding that matches last 90 minutes... We allowed our opponents to score a goal with a total lack of attention in not following the move," Bueno said.

"The fact is we had a mixed match and from their first goal the team lost their shape," he told reporters.

Former Barcelona and Celtic midfielder Crosas joined Santos Laguna in January 2012, spent the 2014-15 season with now relegated UG Leones Negros and signed for Cruz Azul in June.

Santos, winners of last season's Clausura in May, have won only one of seven matches in their defence of the title.

Former France striker Andre-Pierre Gignac scored his firth goal of the season in UANL Tigres' 5-1 rout of Queretaro.