[AMERICANS ABROAD] Pachuca, with three Americans in its ranks, has reached the Mexican Apertura 2010 playoffs and faces Monterrey in the quarterfinals. San Luis, with American Edgar Castillo, meets Club America. For the quarterfinal schedule and more on the U.S. boys. ...

Pachuca, which last won a league title in 2007 and reached the semis last season, clinched its postseason spot with a 2-1 win at Necaxa on Friday. The Tuzos' playoff chances looked doomed when they lost their last two games in October, but climbed back with a 2-1 win over Gallos Blancos and the victory at Necaxa.

Against Necaxa, Jose Francisco Torres went the full 90 and Marco Vidal played the final 35 minutes while Herculez Gomez stayed on the bench.

Pachuca opens play in the FIFA World Club Cup, for which it qualified by lifting the Concacaf Champions League title last spring, Dec. 10 in Dubai. The second leg of the Mexican final is scheduled for Dec. 5.

In the 17 regular-season games, forward Gomez made 12 appearance, all off the bench. After sharing the league scoring title last season while at Puebla, Gomez has scored just once for Pachuca.

Attacking midfielder Torres made nine starts and came off the bench five times. Defensive midfielder Vidal made seven starts and came off the bench three times.

Left midfielder Edgar Castillo, who won a league title with Santos in 2008, made nine appearances for San Luis, all as a sub.

Mexican Apertura 2010 Quarterfinals
First Leg
Wednesday
Pumas-Cruz Azul
Jaguares-Santos
Thursday
Pachuca-Monterrey
San Luis-Club America

Second leg
Saturday
Cruz Azul-Pumas
Santos-Jaguares
Sunday
Monterrey-Pachuca
Club America-San Luis