By Edgardo Avelar
With two accurate shots and with an attitude that withstood the pressure of the Chivasthe “Celestial Machine” of Blue Cross left one of the favorites for the title on the way to reach the final of the Clausura 2026 tournament with a 1-2 victory (world 3-4) that now allows them to wait for Pumas or Pachuca.
A victory achieved by a personality from a team that six days ago was destined for the failure under the command of Argentine coach Nicolás Larcamónbut as the former Cruz Azul defender took command, things changed 365 degrees to become one of the championship finalists.
The winning goals were scored by Jeremy Márquez and Agustin Palavecino with a deflection by Diego Campillo that prevented the great work of goalkeeper Óscar Whalley from getting another star on a night where he came out inspired, taking away several goal options from the cement workers.
Chivas was a worthy opponent, always trying to defeat a powerful rival with a great football style and a bulletproof personality that allowed him make up for the five key losses of the players who were called up to the Mexico team.
Their effort was on the verge of earning them a ticket to the grand final, but Omar Govea’s goal was not enough and at the mere time of reaping the effort, nor the presence of former cement striker Ángel Sepúlveda nor from Ricardo Marín and much less from Hugo Camberos They were able to change the story of a painful elimination to remain in debt for a title after nine years of disappointments.
Cruz Azul in this way returns to a grand final after two years of losing to América in the Clausura 2024 tournament under the command of Martín Anselmi where they lost to world 2-1 in that controversial penalty committed by Carlos Rodolfo Rotondi on Israel Reyes of América marked by the controversial referee Marco Antonio “Gato” Ortiz.
In this way Cruz Azul will play its 17th final in its history, where it has added nine titles and is in search of its tenth star with a squad that a few weeks ago was completely hopeless, but that has now placed itself on the threshold of a new title.
The match
Cruz Azu had the weight of the match due to the need to break the tie from the first match last Wednesday and for that reason, with the same formation from the first game, he sought to cause damage to Chivas with the tactical modifications of placing Jeremy Márquez as a right-wing winger and Omar Campos in relief with Carlos Rotondi.
In this way, the cement team with a line of four defenders Márquez, Willer Ditta, Gonzalo Piovi and Omar Campos allowed the midfield with five elements such as Amaury García, Carlos Rodríguez, Agustín Palavecino, Carlos Rotondi and José Paradela, allowing the African Christian Ebere to be a total headache for the red and whites.
Cruz Azul with this formation was always in the game and forced Chivas to always have to respond to the rival’s style and not have the initiative. Well, that would have meant leaving space for the speed of the Nigerian Eberewho was a constant headache for the red and white defenders.
Under that chess game, The first to hit was Cruz Azul with Jeremy Márquez’s goal in the 5th minute in an action where he was left alone outside the area to shoot cross and beat Whalley’s shot. But Chivas responded in the 7th minute with a shot by Omar Govea also from outside the area that missed goalkeeper Kevin Mier to maintain the tie for the rest of the first half.
In the second half Cruz Azul maintained dominance of the shares and in the 65th minute with a shot from Agustín Palavecino that Diego Campillo deflected, he managed to make it 1-2 that put him in the final and that he ended up achieving thanks to a hard mark from his defense and the work of the Colombian goalkeeper Kevin Mier who ended up removing his thorn to help The “Celestial Machine” prevented Guadalajara from achieving the few options it generated in the rest of the match.
Continue reading:
– Chivas applauds the appointment of César Arturo Ramos as referee against Cruz Azul
– Chivas with the final ticket in hand with everything and a controversial penalty to settle on Cruz Azul: 2-2
– “I never sympathized with America”: Ramón Ramírez reveals a great truth from more than 20 years ago
