(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Friday delivered real stakes from Mexico to the Southern Cone. Liga MX served an eight-goal epic on the border and a stumble for a title favorite in Sinaloa.

Argentina's night brought relief for a giant in Avellaneda, while Brazil's Série B produced results that tugged both promotion and survival races.

In Santiago, the Track World Championships hit full speed with podiums and records on Latin American soil.
Juárez and Puebla trade blows in an 4–4 shootout (Liga MX)
Key facts: At Estadio Olímpico Benito Juárez, the hosts and La Franja combined for eight goals, with swings in both halves and a frantic finish to split the points.

Why picked: A game-of-the-round classic that moves the liguilla cut-line math and neutral viewership.
Mazatlán hold América 2–2 at El Encanto (Liga MX)
Key facts: América led after nine minutes, but Mazatlán flipped it by the half-hour before the visitors rescued a late equalizer; a missed chance to tighten the one-seed race.

Why picked: When a mega-brand drops points, seeding and TV windows shift.
Independiente snap their slide, beat Platense 3–0 (Argentina)
Key facts: In Avellaneda, El Rojo finally clicked-an early opener set the tone and two late goals sealed a cathartic clean sheet.

Why picked: A tent-pole club stabilizing matters for sponsors, scouts, and a global audience.
Novorizontino 1–1 Botafogo-SP steadies both trajectories (Brazil, Série B)
Key facts: The 90'+ swing never came in Novo Horizonte-the hosts owned possession, the visitors defended their box, and each left with a point that keeps ambitions alive.

Why picked: Promotion and survival margins are razor-thin; shared points alter the run-in calculus.


Cuiabá falter 1–3 at home to Remo (Brazil, Série B)
Key facts: Remo executed the away blueprint: disciplined block, sharp counters, and a third to kill the game at Arena Pantanal.

Why picked: An away statement that reshapes the top-four chase and dents Cuiabá's surge.
Palestino beat Everton 2–1 in Santiago (Chile, Primera)
Key facts: The hosts overturned a second-half deficit with two goals in 11 minutes to bank full points at La Cisterna.

Why picked: A live table swing in Chile's tight continental-berth race.
Defensor Sporting fall 0–1 to Montevideo City Torque (Uruguay, Clausura)
Key facts: A low-margin match at the Franzini turned on a single second-half finish; Torque absorbed pressure late to close it out.

Why picked: Uruguay's continental places are decided on nights exactly like this.
Alianza FC 2–0 La Equidad and Fortaleza 2–0 Pasto (Colombia, Primera A)
Key facts: Valledupar's Alianza scored either side of halftime; in Bogotá, Fortaleza kept a clean sheet with two second-half strikes to stay on course.

Why picked: Dual results that tighten the Finalización race and the at-large berths picture.
Track Worlds, Santiago: podiums and records on Latin American soil
Key facts: Day-three sessions at Velódromo Peñalolén delivered national records and a marquee team-pursuit podium as the five-day meet hit top speed in Chile's capital.

Why picked: A world championship hosted in the region expands Latin America's sports footprint beyond football.
Liga MX top-seed picture tightens
Key facts: With América dropping points and Monterrey/Toluca in a three-way sprint, goal difference and head-to-head are set to decide the one-seed with two weekends left.

Why picked: Bracket math drives audiences across the U.S.–Mexico corridor-vital for readers abroad.

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