Blue Cross vs. América live: the Machine takes the lead in the final, but Quiñones ties quickly

By Ricardo Lopez Juarez

May 23, 2024, 9:05 PM EDT

The pressure from the blues is felt, although America defends itself well to avoid free kicks. The referee whistles the end of the first half of the first leg final.

Spectacular play at 39′ when Rodrigo Huescas, from Cruz Azul, finds a ball bouncing outside the area and hits the bomb. Luis Malagón deflects a corner kick in a colorful shot. In the corner, Nacho Rivero was alone, but he did not fight with good timing and finished off wide. He missed a good opportunity.

Argentine Carlos Rotondi shoots from mid-distance after a serve from the other side of the field. Luis Malagón lies back to save at 28′. We remain 1-1.

By claiming that Alejandro Zendejas had been the last to touch the ball on a throw-in, the cement workers were careless in the tying play. Zendejas took advantage and beat them back by serving to hand over to Henry, who did the great thing, leaving Salcedo behind. The question remains whether the ball should actually belong to the home team.

The scorer of the American goal, Julián Quiñones, makes a double cut outside the area and puts in a dangerous cross that bounces into the area and goes just to the side. No one came to close at the second post.

At 16 minutes, Julian Quiñones only had to push the pass from Henry Martín, who gave him half a goal after taking the defender with enormous movement. A throw-in from Zendejas, who came alive, caught the cement defenders in a bad position.

Uriel Antuna gave him a lot of suspense by taking the penalty, but he deceived Luis Malagón by shooting to the left of the azulcrema goalkeeper. The Machine moves forward very soon.

An incredible mistake by Jona dos Santos complicates the play of goalkeeper Malagón, who is called for a foul in the area on Antuna. Lots of complaints, but there was clear contact on the foot.

It should be remembered that América and Cruz Azul were the two best teams in the Clausura 2024 tournament, separated by only two points. The azulcremas advanced after leaving Chivas on the road, while the cement workers did so by eliminating Rayados de Monterrey. America seeks 15th. title and Cruz Azul the 10th.

Fernando Hernández will be the central referee tonight, with Michel Alejandro Morales and Enedina Caudillo as assistant judges. The fourth referee is Luis Enrique Santander. The VAR is in charge of Guillermo Pacheco.

The teams take the field while huge Cruz Azul and América flags are waved in the central part of the field and the Liga MX anthem is heard. You see very few yellow shirts in the stands.

Full-back Kevin Álvarez is a notable absence for América in the final. He underwent surgery for chronic pubalgia and just before starting the final he published a photo on his networks indicating that everything went well.

Hero of a thousand battles of the Águilas, Miguel Layún, says on the field during the TUDN broadcast that “if there is a Cruz Azul that can win the final against América, it is this one” of Clausura 2024. Layún was part of the most dramatic American title , in May 2013 against the Machine. Photo: Imago7

Cruz Azul’s decision to play at the Estadio Azul instead of the Estadio Azteca throughout this tournament has been liked by its long-suffering fans and therefore it is expected that in this first leg they will have a large majority of followers in the stands.