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          America demonstrate quality, while in-form Atlas top the table

          • Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondentJul 31, 2017, 03:27 AM

          Here are five talking points from week 2 of the Liga MX 2017 Apertura:

          1. Dominguez, America end Pachuca's unbeaten home streak in style

          When teams in a league are as comparatively equal in quality as those in Liga MX, putting together a 29-game unbeaten run at home is an astounding feat. But Pachuca's streak came to a halt Saturday thanks to an impressive 2-0 win for Club America in Miguel Herrera's second spell in charge of the Mexico City team.

          Herrera is famed for his 5-3-2 formation -- although he did adapt with Club Tijuana -- but fielded a 4-4-2 (4-2-4 in attack) on Saturday, enabling the former Mexico coach to include offensive foursome Darwin Quintero, Cecilio Dominguez, Silvio Romero and Oribe Peralta. And the shift in formation led to the first really convincing display since Herrera returned earlier in the summer. It looks like he has found a balance, with the holding midfield duo of Guido Rodriguez (who was sent off late on) and Edson Alvarez providing the platform for the attackers.

          The star was Dominguez on the left wing. The 22-year-old Paraguayan netted both goals for Las Aguilas and could just be one of the revelations of the season, after having his 2017 Clausura cut short by injury.

          Pachuca coach Diego Alonso admitted his team has to improve, although with Erick Gutierrez, Omar Gonzalez, Raul Lopez and Jorge Hernandez all recently back from the Gold Cup, the Tuzos' season is only just getting started. And new Japanese signing Keisuke Honda is nearing his debut.

          2. Puente's Lobos BUAP make statement

          Not many newly promoted teams make real statements early on in Liga MX. But Lobos BUAP -- managed by former soap opera actor and ESPN analyst Rafa Puente Jr. -- did just that on Saturday, dispatching Queretaro 4-0 in Estadio Corregidora.

          The minnows managed to get a crowd of only 5,815 for its Liga MX debut in week one of the Apertura -- it averaged only 2,116 in the 2017 Clausura Ascenso MX regular season -- but Lobos BUAP are giving plenty to talk about on the field.

          Diego Jimenez wrapped up the scoring, after goals from Juan Carlos Medina and Francisco "Maza" Rodriguez (yes, this is 2017) and Julian Quinones.

          It was a dominant display from Puente's team against a Queretaro side that defeated America in Estadio Azteca last weekend. The 38-year-old has brought in a mix of experience and shrewd loan signings, and the experimental coach with the experimental team is showing early on that it isn't in Liga MX simply to make up the numbers.

          The negative was a horrific injury to goalkeeper Lucero Alvarez. He suffered a triple fracture to his cheekbone late on and wrote on Facebook that if the clash with Everaldo had been three millimeters closer to his eye, he would've lost it.

          3. Atlas showing early form

          The life of an Atlas fan is that of seeing hope build, only for it to evaporate very quickly. But the signs early on this Apertura are solid and genuinely positive.

          The business done at the offseason in the offseason was unspectacular, but Profe Cruz -- who could be seen leaving Estadio Jalisco on Friday with a Phil Jackson book under his arm -- has built on the side that reached the quarterfinals in the 2017 Clausura.

          The return of defenders Jaine Barreiro and Rafa Marquez from injuries has helped, as has the signing of Milton Caraglio and the continued development of Ghanaian midfielder Clifford Aboagye.

          The Rojinegros certainly had too much for Pumas in Friday's 2-1 victory. Paco Palencia's team may have taken an early lead, but Atlas were the better side and are the early Liga MX leader, ahead of Necaxa on goal difference.

          Atlas may not have the star players, but the simple and solid 4-4-2 system combined with the team's intensity and work-rate all means Atlas won't be an easy opponent this season.

          4. Leon struggling under Torrente

          Leon entrenched its reputation as slow starters in the first two weeks, losing 3-1 to Toluca on Sunday to make it zero points from their first two games, with six goals conceded and only one scored.

          In a league in which club owners tend to have little patience with managers, Leon's Javier Torrente will already be feeling the heat. There hasn't been major changes to the squad in the offseason, and now Torrente has time to work with the players, more will be expected when La Fiera takes on Cruz Azul next week.

          "I'm responsible for the team's form. Things are complicated," he said after this game.

          5. Jemez sends clear and risky message to Cruz Azul directors

          Things never seem to run smoothly in Mexico for Cruz Azul's Spanish coach, Paco Jemez. Following his team's respectable 1-1 tie with champion Chivas on Saturday, Jemez said he didn't like what he saw from his side and made it clear that injuries to key players Martin Rodriguez and Julian Velazquez could significantly harm the Maquina's season, unless they are replaced.

          "I understand that if the club doesn't do anything about it, it would be a very grave error," Jemez said after the match. "These two absences leave us much more limited than we were."

          Jemez was basically giving an excuse if things don't go well and calling out the club's owners publicly, something they surely won't like.