Photo: Rafael Vadillo / Imago7
23 years without being a champion in Mexican soccer is too long for a traditional team like Cruz Azul. The Liga MX title drought is a heavy backpack carried by managers, players and cement fans. That is why after the 1-2 defeat, at the Nemesio Diez stadium against Toluca in the first leg last Wednesday, all those involved in “The Machine” began to doubt about the chances of winning this tournament after leading the regular round with a record of consecutive victories.
In the return of the public to the Azteca stadium in Mexico City, after 433 days of the last game with an audience in the most emblematic venue in the country of mariachis, the cement technician, the Peruvian Juan Reynoso, lined up in the 11 start the skilled Jonathan “Cabecita” Rodríguez and Orbelín Pineda , who were substitutes by technical decision in the first leg.
The momentum of the start of the match had only one reason: the need to overcome the key to the quarterfinals of the Liguilla. That is why from the first moments the cement workers went looking for the goal, which came in the minute 11 of the first half, when striker Rodríguez assisted the Ecuadorian Brayan Angle to sentence the partial 1-0.
⚽🔥 Goool by @ CruzAzul !
⚽🔥 Goool of @Blue Cross!
⚽🔥 Goool by @ CruzAzul !Angulo opens the scoreboard and stops the Machine
🔴 Live! 📲💻📺 https://t.co/K2xHwz9VL9 # TusGuard1anes 2021 | # Break it I # Hellforged pic.twitter.com/a7jTL5Lc8M
– TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) May 16, 2021
The excitement of scoring the goal was short-lived for the Blues, as three minutes later , the most fearsome duo of the Red Devils, Rubens Sambueza and Pedro Canelo , got together to silence the Azteca Stadium.
⚽🔥 Goool of @ TolucaFC !
⚽🔥 Goool of @ TolucaFC !
⚽🔥 Goool of @ TolucaFC !Immediate response from the Devils with Alexis Canelo
🔴 Live! 📲💻📺 https://t.co/K2xHwz9VL9 # TusGuard1anes 2021 | # Break it I # Hellforged pic.twitter.com/a8RtDtAxJ4
– TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) May 16, 2021
Toluca’s goal relaxed the players led by Argentine Hernan Cristante , so Cruz Azul tried to get the winning goal for the rest of the first half.
🧤⚽🔥 Luis García’s shortcut!
Down, close to the pole, incredible
🔴 Live! 📲💻📺 https://t.co/K2xHwz9VL9 # TusGuard1anes 2021 | # Break it I # Hellforged pic.twitter.com/eOKG1mMDxg
– TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA)
May 11, 2021
The comeback was completed in the final stretch
In the second half, Toluca bothered Cruz Azul and disputed possession of the ball; however, in the absence of 10 minutes to end the match and sentence the tie in favor of the Red Devils, the main referee awards a penalty to the Blue after José Juan Vázquez fouls Luis Romo.
😱 Penalty for @ CruzAzul !
Romo fell inside the area and the referee does not doubt it
🔴 Live! 📲💻📺 https://t.co/K2xHwz9VL9 # TusGuard1anes 2021 | # Break it I # Hellforged pic.twitter.com/CntPRWRR8d
– TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) May 16, 2021
The person in charge of executing the shot from the 11 steps was the team’s top scorer, the Uruguayan Jonathan Rodríguez . Despite slipping seconds before connecting the ball, he managed to convert the penalty at 2-1.
⚽🔥 Goool of @Blue Cross!
⚽🔥 Goool by @ CruzAzul !
⚽🔥 Goool of @Blue Cross!Jonathan Rodríguez converts the penalty into a goal
🔴 Live! 📲💻📺 https://t.co/K2xHwz9VL9 # TusGuard1anes 2021 | # Break it I # Hellforged pic.twitter.com/hTgvpXmWhj
– TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) 2021 May 16, 1080896
The need turned all of Toluca to press in the last 10 minutes, but it was useless. In a backlash, in the minute 94, Cruz Azul finished knocking out the Red Devils after the goal that converted Santiago Giménez to a pass of Rodríguez.
⚽🔥 ¡ @ CruzAzul eliminated @TolucaFC !
⚽🔥 Santi Giménez liquidates the series and signs the pass to the semis!
🔴 Live! 📲💻📺 https://t.co/K2xHwz9VL9 # TusGuard1anes 2021 | # Break it I # Hellforged pic.twitter.com/Nz5k3OEl9d
– TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) May 16, 2021
In this way, Cruz Azul advanced to the semifinals of the Guard1anes Tournament 2021 and wait for rival.