🦅 América the unstoppable
PLUS: A late title winner in Guatemala, chaos in Costa Rica + more in the Conca-catch-up!
Again?
Cruz Azul had become infamous for being a team that snatches defeat from the jaws of victory, but the Mexico City club started to shed that label. It won a Liga MX title within the last five years and went into Sunday dreaming of a doblete, trying to pair a league title with the Concacaf Champions Cup crown they’re a win away from wearing.
So, when Cruz Azul went up 1-0 on Sunday, 2-0 on aggregate, fans really believed. Then, that old foe reared its ugly head. América won a penalty, with Cruz Azul goalkeeper Kevin Mier unable to keep a bouncing ball under his body and reaching up to grab the América attacker.
América converted, then scored from a set piece with Cristian Borja popping up at the back post and heading in the deciding goal. The 2-2 aggregate draw meant the series would be decided by better regular season performance. By one point in the standings, América moved on.
Cruz Azul knew the rules going into the semifinals, but it doesn’t make its defeat any less frustrating. América fans dismissed the elimination from the CCC at the hands of Cruz Azul as coming down to injuries. With forward Henry Martin back in the squad, América would be able to dominate Cruz Azul.
La Maquina had absences of its own Sunday. Ignacio Rivero was out because of a red card he earned in the first leg, while Carlos Rotondi missed out with an injury. That lack of depth finally showed. Chasing the game, Vicente Sanchez turned to a player with less than 15 minutes of match time so far this season, then to a teenager who has played more but still wasn’t up for the moment.
“When we started this process, we were going for both tournaments. We played them at the same time, and while getting to the semifinal of the local tournament and the final, we wanted to get to the final,” Sanchez said. “Cruz Azul always goes for it all any time it steps onto the field. The feeling right now is one of pain, but we’ve got to turn the page as quickly as possible.”
América snapped a 19-match unbeaten run from Cruz Azul, a streak that will be forgotten should the Vancouver Whitecaps topple La Maquina in the CCC final. Sanchez will be fired. Cruz Azul will try to move on.