The match witnessed a hard-fought battle between Tigres and Cruz Azul, culminating in a 1-1 draw, leaving the fate of the tie hanging in the balance for the return leg.
Tigres took the lead in the 60th minute through a goal from Ángel Correa. However, Cruz Azul equalized shortly after when Gabriel Fernández converted a penalty in the 75th minute.
Early on, Tigres came close to scoring when Fernando Gorriarán’s shot hit the post, a moment that left them longing for a celebration.
Despite the draw, Cruz Azul asserted their dominance in the match, boasting impressive statistics with 9 shots on goal, though only 2 found the target.
Gabriel Fernández was undoubtedly the standout player of the match, not only scoring the equalizer but also attempting 3 shots on target. Ángel Correa also shone for Tigres, with 1 goal and 4 attempts on goal.
Cruz Azul’s coach, Nicolás Larcamón, set up a 4-5-1 formation with Andrés Gudiño in goal; Jorge Sánchez, Willer Ditta, Jesús Orozco, and Omar Campos in defense; Erik Lira, Carlos Rodríguez, Ignacio Rivero, José Paradela, and Jeremy Márquez in midfield; with Gabriel Fernández leading the attack.
On the other hand, Tigres, managed by Guido Pizarro, lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, featuring Nahuel Guzmán between the posts; Jesús Garza, Joaquim Pereira, Jesús Angulo, and Marco Farfan in defense; Juan Brunetta, Fernando Gorriarán, Rômulo, and Diego Lainez in midfield; and Ángel Correa and Nicolás Ibáñez up front.
Ismael López Peñuelas officiated the match at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
The tie remains undecided, setting the stage for an exciting return leg scheduled for Sunday, December 7, at Universitario Stadium.
Substitutions for Cruz Azul
45’ 2T – Omar Campos was replaced by Rodolfo Rotondi and Jeremy Márquez by Lorenzo Faravelli.
62’ 2T – Jorge Sánchez was substituted for Ángel Sepúlveda.
69’ 2T – Jesús Orozco gave way to Gonzalo Piovi.
82’ 2T – José Paradela was replaced by Luka Romero.
Yellow Cards for Cruz Azul:
31’ 1T Jeremy Márquez (Unsporting behavior), 32’ 2T Gabriel Fernández (Unsporting behavior), 41’ 2T Ignacio Rivero (Unsporting behavior).
Substitutions for Tigres
38’ 1T – Nicolás Ibáñez out for Ozziel Herrera.
65’ 2T – Juan Brunetta off for Juan José Purata.
81’ 2T – Jesús Angulo replaced by Juan Pablo Vigón.
Yellow Cards for Tigres:
18’ 2T Joaquim Pereira (Holding the opponent to prevent advancement), 19’ 2T Nahuel Guzmán (Delaying the game), 47’ 2T Jesús Garza (Unsporting behavior).