Apertura losing finalists Santos Laguna kept their slender hopes of reaching the Clausura play-offs alive with a 3-1 win away to Estudiantes Tecoslast night.

Mauro Cejas gave Tecos a tenth-minute lead but Daniel Luduena drew Santos level 11 minutes later. Rafael Figueroa gave them the lead in the 67th minute and former Birmingham forward Christian Benitez added a third at the death.

Their only hope of reaching the play-offs is to claim the eighth and final play-off berth available to the team with the second-best record outside of those in the top two in each group.

To do that a host of results must go their way over the remainder of the 17th round of games this weekend, with both Monterrey and America - who like Santos Laguna have 23 points but who now have a game in hand on them as well as superior goal difference - both needing to lose if the club from Torreon are to continue into 'La Liguilla'.