Blue Cross became the last semi-finalist of the Apertura Mexican soccer tournament on Sunday after beating 3-2 Guadalajara in a match where Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández missed a penalty. In this way, Cruz Azul’s ‘Celestial Machine’ joined Toluca, Tigres UANL and Monterrey in the semifinals of the tournament.
“Today we eliminated one of the best teams that closed the championship. What I highlight and celebrate most is the emotional response to a complicated moment, we solved a mess in which we got ourselves into after the terrible first half,” said the technical director of Cruz Azul, the Argentine Nicolás Larcamón. “We are facing a great opportunity to show the value and synergy that exists between us, the moment has arrived for us. A level of demand is coming this December, it will be very high but the team is prepared,” he added.
In the match played at the Olympic University Stadium in Mexico City, the “Chivas” of Guadalajara took the lead after eight minutes when Cade Cowell volleyed a cross sent by Roberto Alvarado into the six-yard box.
Márquez scored one of Cruz Azul’s three goals
Cruz Azul equalized in the 14th minute through Uruguayan Gabriel Fernández, who finished off a pass from Jeremy Márquez with his left foot in front of the goal. Guadalajara regained the lead in the 35th minute when Bryan González took advantage of a series of rebounds inside the area to finish from the right. Cruz Azul began to press in search of an equalizer, which they achieved in the 72nd minute with a shot by Jeremy Márquez at the entrance to the area that hit the left post before going into the goal.
Guadalajara had the best chance to regain the lead when the referee awarded a penalty in the 81st minute after Jesús Orozco fouled Santiago Sandoval inside the area. But five minutes later, “Chicharito” Hernández sent his penalty kick over the goal.
“If anyone has the experience, the experience to take responsibility and kick a penalty, it is Javier, that is undisputed and it is unquestionable for me. It seemed to me that he was the one to catch the ball and to take a crucial penalty, he missed it and it is part of the game, this sport has these things,” said the technical director of Guadalajara, the Argentine Gabriel Milito.
In the last play of the match, Cruz Azul scored the third goal on a counterattack that Carlos Rodríguez defined by raising the ball before the goalkeeper came out after receiving a pass from Fernández in the 97th minute.
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In this way, Cruz Azul will face Tigres UANL in the semifinal, while Toluca and Monterrey will compete in the other series. On Saturday, Monterrey advanced to the semifinals despite losing 2-1 to América in the definition of their series, which they won with an aggregate score of 3-2. The “Rayados” of Monterrey won the first leg 2-0.
For its part, Tigres UANL, which lost the first leg 3-0, made it to the semifinals with a resounding 5-0 victory in the second leg against Tijuana. On the other hand, the current champion Toluca advanced to the semifinals after a goalless draw against Bravos de Ciudad Juárez. The “Red Devils” of Toluca moved on to the next phase thanks to their 2-1 victory in the first leg.
