Ronaldinho scores to lead Queretaro to win

MEXICO CITY — Ronaldinho scored from the penalty spot and assisted on a second goal as Queretaro beat relegation-threatened Chivas 4-1 in the Mexican league on Monday (Manila time).

The former Barcelona and Brazil star atoned for a badly missed penalty in his debut for the Mexican club last week, a 1-0 loss to Tigres.

Ronaldinho, a two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, signed with Queretaro earlier this month. He had been without a club since leaving Brazil's Atletico Mineiro in July.

In other matches this weekend, America beat Pachuca 2-1 to remain atop the league after nine rounds of matches in Mexico's first division. Atlas improved to second place, two points from the top, after a 2-1 victory against Cruz Azul.

Elsewhere, Pumas beat Morelia 3-2, Tijuana thrashed Santos Laguna 4-1, Puebla drew 1-1 with Chiapas, Tigres secured a 1-0 victory against Leones Negros, Leon overcame Veracruz 3-1, and Monterrey lost 1-0 to Toluca.

Chivas went down to 10 players after Carlos Salcido handled the ball in the 4th minute and Ronaldinho stepped up to convert the penalty. Camilo Sanvezzo, William da Silva, and Othoniel Arce struck second-half goals to secure the emphatic win.

Pachuca's Daniel Arreola headed an own goal in the 31st. Substitute Ariel Nahuelpan then leveled with a left-foot shot in the 78th, but America's Miguel Layun finished the job a minute later with a curling side-foot strike.

Chilean Rodrigo Millar scored a late winner to secure three points for Atlas. Arturo Gonzalez netted a header for Atlas in the 7th minute before Julio Dominguez briefly equalized 10 minutes into the second half.

An own goal from Jose Olvera in the 22nd, followed by second half strikes from Eduardo Herrera and Ismael Sosa, were enough for Pumas. Erick Aguirre's strike in the 65th, and Martin Romagnoli's own goal in the final minute, came too late for Morelia.

Alfredo Moreno opened for Tijuana in the 2nd minute, but Juan Rodriguez equalized from the penalty spot in the 36th. Moreno then struck a diagonal shot into the left side of the net three minutes into the second half before Dario Benedetto and Dayro Moreno added goals to secure the win for Tijuana.

Vicente Vuoso headed in the opener for Chiapas in the 35th, but a deflected shot from Luis Noriega salvaged a point for Puebla in the 69th.

Edgar Lugo's chipped shot in the 13th was enough for Tigres.

First-half goals from Mauro Boselli and Marcos Caicedo gave Leon the advantage. Daniel Villalba pulled one back in the 45th, but Boselli scored a final goal for Leon in the 85th.

Lucas Lobos' curling 40-yard strike was the difference for Toluca.