Cruz Azul and Club Leon set to clash in Liga Mexico

Preview of the upcoming fixture between Club Leon and Cruz Azul

Club Leon and Cruz Azul are set to face each other on Saturday, May 8th in the León stadium for their next match in the Liga Mexico tournament. Both teams are currently in top eight standings of Liga Mexico, with Leon sitting at the third position while Cruz Azul holds 8th place. The last time both these teams played against each other was back in February 2020, where Cruz Azul won with a score of 1-0.

However, Club Leon will miss out on Yairo Moreno, William Tesillo, and Jose David Ramirez due to injuries. Despite that, they are coming off a massive win against Violette AC (5-0) in the CONCACAF Champions League Quarter-Finals. In the last five matches it has played, Club Leon has won four and drew one, scoring 15 goals and conceding only four goals.

On the other hand, Cruz Azul has won three of its last four matches with a recent win against Pachuca (0-2), where Carlos Rodolfo Rotondi and Rodrigo Huescas scored goals. In the last five matches played, Cruz Azul has scored seven goals and conceded only five goals.

Expected opening lineups of Club Leon includes Rodolfo Cota; Iván Moreno, Jaine Barreiro, Adonis Frías, Osvaldo Rodríguez; Víctor Dávila, Ángel Mena, Fidel Ambriz, Elías Hernández; Lucas Di Yorio, José Alvarado. Meanwhile, expected lineups for Cruz Azul include Jesús Corona; Juan Escobar, Ramiro Funes Mori, Julio César Domínguez; Rodrigo Huescas, Uriel Antuna, Erik Lira, Carlos Rotondi, José Rivero; Carlos Rodríguez; Michael Estrada.

Considering the current game form of the two teams, it is likely that the match will end in a draw or the away team winning decently. The total match is expected to have over 2.5 goals and both teams are expected to score. Expert betting tips recommend a Draw or Cruz Azul for 1.70 and Both Teams to Score Yes for 1.70.

Historic rivalry between Cruz Azul and América in Mexican soccer

Cruz Azul and América have had a historic rivalry since they met in the final in August 1972. These two clubs have been involved in many confrontations in the regular Mexican soccer calendar as well as the final phases of various tournaments.

América won the most recent final, the Apertura 2018, with a score of 2-0 against Cruz Azul. However, only five players who took part in that final are still at their respective clubs. Cruz Azul was favored to win that final but ended up losing with only three players remaining on the team.

One of those América players, Henry Martin, has become an icon and idol of the club for his goal-scoring feats. The rest of the players who took part in the 2018 final have since moved on, with some retiring completely.

The upcoming football match between Cruz Azul and América

The two Mexico City clubs are set to play at Estadio Azteca on Sunday, May 9th where Cruz Azul suffered a humiliating 7-0 defeat at the hands of América in past matches. However, Cruz Azul is determined to demonstrate that they are not afraid of América while América is downplaying this match.

Cruz Azul has recovered from their past defeat and currently sits at 8th place, while América is pursuing its 14th Liga MX championship and boasts the highest scoring offense in the league. América will be without coach Ortiz due to a suspension, but is confident in its attack led by MVP candidate Henry Martín.

The recent trend in regular season games before the past loss favors Cruz Azul, but América has dominated in postseason meetings, eliminating Cruz Azul in six consecutive matchups since 1999. Overall, América leads the all-time rivalry with 67 wins, 64 draws, and 56 losses.

However, records and pre-game chatter may not matter once the game begins. Fans can expect an intense match-up between these two teams with lots of excitement and surprises.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons