Morelia was one of the surprise teams out of the gate in the Mexican Primera División's Apertura, but as Miguel Sabah (who had five goals in his first three matches) has cooled off, so have the Monarchs. Sabah has not scored in league since notching two goals at Atlas on August 22.

Since then (and before last night), a previously perfect Morelia lost two consecutive games and lost their league lead. Sabah did not score.

Last week, Morelia got back on track with a stoppage time goal from Luís Rey (his second of the match), vaulting them to a 2-1 win at home to Tigres. On Friday, the Monarchs started a bonafide streak, winning 2-0 at Estudiantes without Sabah.

Goals by Hugo Droquett and Mauricio Romero helped overshadow an altercation between Morelia's Wilson Tiago and Estudiantes' Diego Jiménez. Both players were ejected in the 74th minute.

The win temporarily vaults Morelia to the top of a Group 2 which also includes the hottest team in the Primera, Club América, the league's most talented them, Pachuca, and a Monterrey side that's given up only six goals in eight matches (a defensive record that can only be beaten by San Luis's four goals allowed). An undefeated Puebla (three wis, five draw) sits fifth in the group, and sixth place Chiapas's eight points would put them in a tie for third in Group 1.

Monterrey is at Pachuca on Saturday in the group's (and league's) marque match-up. Monterrey is excepted to be without midfielder William Paredes and defender Severo Meza, both out with injuries.

Pachuca is coming off a convincing CONCACAF Champions League victory in midweek, a 2-0 win over Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo. Though Pachuca is one of the favorites in that tournament, the additional fixtures Champions League group play imposes on the club could be the difference between keeping up in this group and merely making the playoffs.

It's been seven years since Monterrey won at Pachuca.

América will play Sunday at Querétaro in what not only should be three points for the Eagles but will also give them and opportunity to improve upon their league-leading 21 goals and +12 differential. Those figures are a result of a burst of form that has América undefeated in seven (since Morelia visited on August 2), scoring 21 goals.

América should be able to get to 20 points and move one point ahead of Morelia, with the winner of Monterrey-Pachuca keeping pace in the Primera's Group of Death.

Group 1's Toluca came into the weekend with the league's best overall record. With eighteen points, they are already eight points up on San Luis, the second place team in their group. Atlas, in third place, goes to Toluca on Sunday looking to improve upon their goal scoring record - only five goals through eight matches.

Though Toluca's goal scoring record - eleven goals allowed in eight matches - would appear to accommodate Atlas, seven of those goals allowed were in one match: to América on August 30 in what has to be the most remarkable match of the young Apertura campaign.

San Luis is unlikely to cut into the eight point gap between them and Toluca when they visit Cruz Azul on Saturday. Cruz Azul has a one point lead atop Group 3 over Santos Laguna, though they have shown flashes of greatness, with their 3-0 win at Morelia on August 30 hinting this club has a bigger potential.

On Wednesday in CONCACAF Champions League play, though, Cruz Azul drew with USL-1's Puerto Rico Islanders, 3-3. Back home to play San Luis, Cruz Azul should bounce back as all their regulars return to the lineup.

Should Cruz Azul stumble, Santos's trip to Atlante gives Laguna a chance to take the group's lead. Atlante's however, sits in third place in Group 3, but with a game-in-hand (thanks to their trip to Europe for the Peace Cup) and only a four point deficit on Santos, a win against the Warriors will position them as the main challengers to Cruz Azul.

In other matches, on Saturday Indios goes to Tigres and Chivas hosts Chiapas. On Sunday, Puebla hosts Pumas.