Soccer-Tigres maul Cruz Azul, end leaders' winning streak

March 9 (Reuters) - Cruz Azul's eight-match winning streak came to a surprise end in a 3-0 defeat away to 10-man UANL Tigres on Saturday with their lead in the Mexican championship being cut to three points. America, Mexico's most successful team last year, continued their slide after giving up a two-goal lead in the opening 11 minutes to crash 4-2 to Santos Laguna, their third successive home defeat at the Azteca. Previously unbeaten Cruz Azul have 25 points from 10 matches in the Clausura championship, three more than Toluca who beat Puebla 3-0 on Friday, with Pachuca third on 17 after a 2-0 win over Monterrey. Tigres, who climbed off the foot of the standings with the victory, took the lead after eight minutes with a penalty converted by Brazilian right back Juninho after striker Alan Pulido had been brought down. Mexico midfielder Carlos Salcido crossed from the right for Pulido to head the second 20 minutes later. Salcido was shown a straight red card in the 64th minute for a foul on Cruz Azul defender Fausto Pinto but Santos hung on and even increased their lead through midfielder Jose Torres seven minutes from time. Pachuca striker Enner Valencia, one of the scorers in Ecuador's remarkable 4-3 comeback win over Australia in Wednesday's international friendly in London, scored both goals in their home win over Monterrey, who are now one from bottom. At the Azteca in Mexico City, America, 2012/13 Clausura champions in May and runners-up in this season's Apertura in December, raced into a quick two-goal lead through Argentine midfielder Rubens Sambueza and striker Andres Rios. Striker Darwin Quintero pulled one back for Santos before halftime and the Eagles crumbled after his fellow Colombian Andres Renteria's 53rd minute equaliser, conceding late goals to Mexico striker Oribe Peralta and a Juan Pablo Rodriguez penalty. "There is no final word until the match is over. We started very well, with a lot of intensity, we took a lead and then we lost intensity and in the second half, after the equaliser we lost our shape," Sambueza told reporters. (Writing by Rex Gowar, editing by Pritha Sarkar)