SOCCER: CHIVAS, TIGRES CAPTURE INTERLIGA MEXICAN CLUBS RETURN TO COPA LIBERTADORES.

Byline: Scott French Staff Writer

CARSON - Guadalajara and UANL Tigres on Sunday booked return trips to Copa Libertadores, scoring spirited victories in InterLiga soccer finals at Home Depot Center.

Guadalajara, the overwhelming favorite of a raucous sellout crowd of 27,000, dominated Veracruz early, then held on late for a 2-1 triumph in the second game of the doubleheader.

Tigres, down a man after a red card early in the second half, rallied past crosstown rival Monterrey 2-1 in overtime, avenging a bitter defeat last month in Mexico's Primera Division Apertura semifinals.

Jaime Lozano's goal 24 seconds into the extra period was decisive for Tigres, which claimed Mexico's No. 2 berth in South America's club championship and advanced to a first-round group with Brazil's Corinthians, Chile's Universidad Catolica and Colombia's Deportivo Cali.

Chivas, as Guadalajara is known, faces Chile's Colo Colo in a home-and-home preliminary-round series in late January. Pumas UNAM previously claimed Mexico's No. 1 slot in Copa Libertadores.

Guadalajara last year reached the semifinals and Tigres advanced to the quarterfinals.

Monterrey was firmly in control of the opener after Ricardo Martinez's third-minute goal, a 26-yard blast to the upper-right corner following a run from midfield. And the Rayados were up a man when referee Abiodun Okulaja sent off Tigres midfielder Antonio Sancho for kicking Martinez as he shielded the ball, his second yellow card in a span of five minutes.

The disadvantage spurred Tigres, which Monterrey had eliminated with a late goal in their semifinal series. Walter Gaitan finished a Juan Montano cross in the 70th minute, his fourth InterLiga goal, and Lozano netted the winner, firing home a rebound that deflected off defender Felipe Baloy and past goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco.

Monterrey, which did little with its overtime chances, also finished with 10 players after Reinaldo Navia was ejected for his second yellow card.

``It's always sweeter to get a win against your rival,'' said Gaitan, the tournament MVP. ``We're very happy to be going to the Libertadores in this manner.''

Guadalajara was up 2-0 by the 23rd minute, on goals by Edwin Borboa and Omar Bravo, and Mexican national team goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez and his backline came up big at the end as surprising Veracruz - which cut the deficit on Gustavo Biscayzacu's 60th-minute penalty kick - began applying pressure.

Scott French, [phone]

scott.french(at)dailynews.com