Blanco helps Santos on to semis

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On loan, Fire midfielder nets penalty kick to help club advance

Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco is still making an impact on the soccer field, even weeks after the end of his MLS club's Major League Soccer season.

Blanco, on loan from MLS to defending champion Santos Laguna for the Apertura playoffs in Mexico's FMF Primera Division, scored an 82nd-minute penalty kick and helped with the game-winner as Santos rallied to best San Luis 2-1 in the second leg of their home-and-home series and advance 5-2 on aggregate. Blanco's pass set up Walter Jimenez, who in turn found Emmanuel Luduena for the score -- and the win -- in the 86th minute.

The win put Blanco and his new teammates through to the semifinal round, where they will meet Toluca, who beat Tecos UAG 2-0 in their second leg on Sunday to win 2-0 on aggregate.

Santos will play host to the first leg of the semifinal, Thursday, Dec. 4, at their Estadio Corona in Torreon, Coahuila. Toluca will be the site of the return match, Sunday, Dec. 7 at Estadio Nemesio Diaz.

In the other Apertura semifinal, Cruz Azul will face off against Atlante for a second time in three tournaments. Cruz Azul found the net twice in the second half to top Pumas UNAM 3-1 in the second leg and advance on aggregate by the same score, and will try to find a measure of revenge after losing to Atlante in the same stage of Apertura 2007.

Despite drawing 2-2 on aggregate with Tigres UANL, with a pair of 1-1 draws in each match, Atlante moved on, based on a better regular season record.

The first leg in that semifinal will be played at Estadio Azul in Mexico City, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, while the return match will be played in Atlante's home of Estadio Andres Quintana Roo in Cancun, Saturday, Dec. 6.