League Leaders Cruz Azul dumped out of Playoffs By Leon
The curse of the Superlider (league leaders) struck again as Leon fought back from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with Cruz Azul in a rain-drenched Estadio Azul. The result saw the tie end 3-3 on aggregate and therefore meant Leon progressed to the semifinals on away goals.
Cruz Azul named an unchanged starting eleven from Wednesday night’s game, while Leon made one change with Matias Britos coming back into the side at Franco Arizala’s expense.
Pre-match both managers had spoken of their desire to play a free-flowing and attacking game, and when Mauro Formica sent a dipping volley just over the cross-bar inside the first minute it looked as though the tone had been set.
Cruz Azul continued to build on their bright start and grabbed the game’s opening goal after twelve minutes. Mariano Pavone was the scorer, reacting fastest after Yarbrough could only parry Formica’s shot straight into his path.
Corona made an excellent instinctive save from Boselli’s header, but Leon were struggling to deal with the surging intent of Cruz Azul’s attacks and it came as no surprise when the hosts doubled their lead. Joao Rojas showed good skill to beat his marker before picking out the increasingly impressive Formica, with the Argentine lashing home from twelve yards.
Leon, who had been pedestrian so far, gave themselves a glimmer of hope just before the break when Boselli turned in Edwin Hernandez’s low cross to make it 2-1. Just as Leon were celebrating the goal a torrential downpour started, and both sides seemed happy when the referee blew for half-time.
It was still raining hard when the sides re-emerged for the second half. Leon knew that one goal would send them through on the away goals rule, and they should have got that goal within two minutes of the restart when Luis Montes headed over from close range.
Not long after Montes’ miss Yarbrough produced a spectacular save to keep out Marco Fabian’s long range effort, and seconds later the importance of the save was emphasised when Montes redeemed himself by dancing through the Cruz Azul defence and slotting past Corona. The goal brought the game level at 2-2 and meant for the first time in the tie Leon held the advantage.
Cruz Azul knew If the score remained the same then the Superlider would be heading for an undignified early exit, and Tena immediately responded by throwing on the attacking-minded Christian Gimenez in place of Alejandro Castro.
The veteran’s introduction made little difference until the final five minutes, when a dramatic twenty seconds saw him crash a shot off the bar only for Marco Fabian to hit the post with the rebound.
The hosts threw everyone forward in the four added-on minutes, but unmarked second-half substitute Achille Emana missed their best chance when he volleyed over from eight yards. Moments later his anguish at the poor miss got the better of him, as he was shown a straight red for a unnecessary lunge on Montes.
Aside from the late flourish Cruz Azul never looked like getting the third goal they so desperately needed, though to their credit, Leon continued to play a reasonably expansive game until the final few minutes.
Cruz Azul fans will feel disappointed to be eliminated in the quarter-finals after being so dominant in the regular season. They beat Leon by thirteen points and their elimination on the away goals rule will undoubtedly once again call into question the FMF’s decision to scrap the former rule where the higher-ranked league side would progress in the event of a draw.
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