In the second leg of the Liga MX playoffs, Tigres UANL and Cruz Azul battled to a 1-1 draw at Estadio el Volcán.
Cruz Azul found hope when Juan José Purata scored an own goal just after the start of the second half, allowing them to equalize. This came after Juan Brunetta had opened the scoring for Tigres with a superb strike in the 26th minute, following a brilliant assist from André-Pierre Gignac that the midfielder deftly finished past goalkeeper Andrés Gudiño Portillo.
As the match progressed, Cruz Azul had the opportunity to take the lead but Gabriel Fernández failed to convert a penalty in the 71st minute, which proved to be a crucial miss.
Nahuel Guzmán was the standout performer of the match, with the Tigres goalkeeper making an impressive nine saves throughout the game. Jeremy Márquez also made his presence felt for Cruz Azul, attempting to find the back of the net on two occasions.
Tigres’ head coach, Guido Pizarro, utilized a 5-2-3 formation featuring Guzmán in goal; a defensive line consisting of Jesús Garza, Rômulo, Joaquim Pereira, Jesús Angulo, and Marco Farfan; while Fernando Gorriarán and Juan Brunetta anchored the midfield. The attacking trio comprised Diego Lainez, André-Pierre Gignac, and Ángel Correa.
On the other side, Cruz Azul, led by Nicolás Larcamón, opted for a 5-3-2 setup, with Gudiño guarding the net and a defense comprising Omar Campos, Erik Lira, Willer Ditta, Gonzalo Piovi, and Rodolfo Rotondi. The midfield featured Lorenzo Faravelli, Ignacio Rivero, and Jeremy Márquez, with Gabriel Fernández and Ángel Sepúlveda spearheading the attack.
Referee Víctor Cáceres Hernández officiated the match at Estadio el Volcán.
Despite the draw, Tigres progresses to the final, facing off against CF Monterrey on December 11, after the two matches against Cruz Azul ended with a score of 1-1 each.
Tigres Substitutions
56’ 2H – Jesús Angulo out for Juan José Purata; André-Pierre Gignac out for Ozziel Herrera
77’ 2H – Juan Brunetta out for Juan Pablo Vigón
Cruz Azul Substitutions
52’ 2H – Lorenzo Faravelli out for José Paradela; Ángel Sepúlveda out for Carlos Rodríguez
62’ 2H – Rodolfo Rotondi out for Jesús Orozco
63’ 2H – Gonzalo Piovi out for Amaury Morales
75’ 2H – Jeremy Márquez out for Luka Romero
Cruz Azul Yellow Card:
15’ 2H – Rodolfo Rotondi