The spotlight shifts away from the weekend and domestic leagues and turns back to the CONCACAF Champions Cup, where this Tuesday we’ll find out the first semifinalists of the competition.
Cruz Azul vs. LAFC
The reigning champions Cruz Azul are hanging by a thread after losing 3-0 in their visit to LAFC at BMO Stadium, but with the return leg set to be played on Mexican soil, where the match at Estadio Cuauhtémoc promises a hostile environment for the team of Heung-Min Son and Denis Bouanga.
MLS teams traditionally struggle when playing in Mexican stadiums in the Champions Cup. A packed Estadio Cuauhtémoc filled with Máquina supporters will do their best to create a tough atmosphere. The comfort with which the black and gold arrive after the first-leg result could be enough to carry them into the semifinals.
Optimism from Cruz Azul
Even so, the first thirty minutes of the match will be crucial for Cruz Azul in their attempt to overturn the 3-0 deficit. Coach Nicolás Larcamón said as much this Monday in a press conference, hopeful of pulling off an epic comeback.
“Far from thinking the series is over, from the moment the match against América ended we began preparing for the comeback, to reach the semifinals and keep advancing in the Champions Cup.
“When we play at home, regardless of the venue, we are a strong team. The support of our fans will be crucial, as well as the push they can give us. Also, we know altitude tends to affect teams that are not used to it, and that can be an important factor as well.”
For me, that home context is key. Over the weekend Cruz Azul drew 1-1 in the Clásico Joven against América (who will also be in action tomorrow against Nashville).
Perfection is Needed
Meanwhile, Argentine full-back Gonzalo Piovi also shared his thoughts on the matchup, assuring that they must be perfect against Marc Dos Santos’ team.
“It will be a match where we must take care of every detail one hundred percent, because that’s where the difference will be: in every play, in every decision. We have the belief and conviction that we can turn the series around,” he said in the press conference.
“I feel capable, I see a team that is hungry, eager not only to change the image from the first leg but to overturn the series and reach the semifinals. That’s why I repeat: if there’s a day when we want to sustain ourselves on both fronts, it’s this one,” the defender concluded.
The formula is clear and simple for Cruz Azul. Ok, maybe not so simple. They must win 3-0 to force extra time. If LAFC scores one goal, forget it, they’re out, since due to the away-goal rule they would then need to win by two goals or more. In other words, a 4-1 win for the Celestes would not be enough to advance to the next round. That’s why they must be perfect in attack and defense, which they were clearly not in the first leg.
LAFC’s Status
On the other side, LAFC arrives in the city of Puebla after a 2-1 loss away to the Portland Timbers on MLS Matchday 7. They conceded the game-winner in the very last second thanks to a Kevin Kelsy goal at 90+6′. The result prevented them from climbing to the top of the Western Conference. Both Cruz Azul and LAFC are enjoying positive runs in their respective leagues: the Mexican side sits second in Liga MX, while the Americans are third in their MLS conference. However, an elimination tomorrow in the Champions Cup would represent a resounding failure for both projects that have invested millions to be successful. Los Angeles, without a doubt, holds the upper hand heading into tomorrow.
América vs. Nashville SC
Not many miles away, but later in the evening, América will host Nashville SC at Estadio Azteca in search of a spot in the semifinals. The series is tied 0-0 on aggregate.
The Champions Cup is a top priority for the América’s board. André Jardine’s project is playing for nearly everything this week, and if they slip, everything could come crashing down. Against Nashville they fight for semi-final berth, and over the weekend against Toluca they fight for part of their Liga MX playoff aspirations. These are truly crucial days for Las Águilas.
América is not going through its best footballing moment in many years, and that could open the door for Nashville to pull off an upset win at the mythical Estadio Azteca.
Nashville Coming in Strong
BJ Callaghan’s side arrives in Mexico City after a 2-1 away win over Charlotte FC this weekend. The victory was significant, giving them the lead atop the Eastern Conference with 16 points. So if América fans were feeling comfortable about closing the series at home, they might want to think again.
The Boys in Gold have scored 15 goals and conceded only 4 in 7 MLS matches—far better numbers than Las Águilas, who have scored 15 goals and conceded 13, but in the double the number of matches (14). It certainly wouldn’t hurt the Azulcremas to have a striker of Sam Surridge’s caliber right now.
“We left Nashville with a result that allows us to play without disadvantage, but we haven’t achieved the final objective yet, which is Tuesday, and then we’ll think about Toluca. For now, we are focused on Nashville to get into the final four of Concacaf,” André Jardine said in a press conference.
Meanwhile, BJ Callaghan is clear on what his team needs to do to reach the continental semifinals: “Not conceding goals is a positive point. Now we have a very clear path of what we need to do in Mexico City,” he said ahead of the match.
The coach also shared his thoughts on visiting such a mythical venue as the Azteca: “As a football fan, it’s a stadium with a lot of history. It’s an opportunity to appreciate the history of the game, but we’ll be focused on being ready to get a result away from home,” he expressed.
Game Plan
Without a doubt, this tie is much more open than Cruz Azul vs LAFC. Importantly, however, América failed to score in their visit to Geodis Stadium, meaning that a goal tomorrow from Nashville would give them the edge in a draw result. This will force the Liga MX club to win the match in order to advance. The only scenario where extra time would appear is if the game ended 0-0 again.
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