Cruz Azul vs América Match Preview
The "Young Derby" pits the league's best team against a perennial contender, and one that has had La Máquina's number over the past sixteen matches.
It has certainly been seven lean years for Cruz Azul, at least in the respect of matching up against América. The Blues have not been able to beat the Yellows since 2003, losing eleven of the subsequent sixteen matches, including a semifinal series in 2005 that América dominated en route to their latest title.
Emanuel Villa and Javier Orozco spearhead a fearsome Cruz Azul attack that will square off against two of the most effective central defenders in the league: America's Aquivaldo Mosquera and Juan Carlos Valenzuela. A Cruz Azul loss would threaten their supremacy over the league, as that potential result combined with a Monterrey or Santos Laguna win would result in the Blues vacating the top spot.
An América win could see them reclaiming the top spot in their group and a potential move into the league's top three teams.
Cruz Azul vs América Match Report
It took seven long years for Cruz Azul to once again celebrate a victory in league play over their most hated rivals, crosstown América. A Christian Giménez strike in the 52nd minute over Guillermo Ochoa's outstretched hand was all it took, as Cruz Azul also had luck on their side when two América strikes hit the post, and goalkeeper Yosgart Gutierrez's error (a back pass to him went right under his foot) didn't end up in the back of the net.
Curiously, the last América manager to lose against Cruz Azul was the team's current boss, Manuel Lapuente. Making the result even sweeter is the fact that Cruz Azul's win means they keep the top spot in the league for one more week, with 24 points, two more than runner-up Monterrey.
