ETO Top 10: Cruz Azuleadas
The word “Cruz Azulear” started as a joke but has now become a verb in Mexico, meaning “to screw things up from an advantageous situation,” or “to fail at something when it looks as though everything is going your way.” This past weekend we were witness to possibly the biggest Cruz Azuleada to date. With that in mind, here are the Top 10 Cruz Azuleadas.
Cruzazuleada #10
In the Invierno 99 tournament, it seemed that Cruz Azul would win their 2nd championship in three years facing an upstart Pachuca team in the final. La Maquina obtained a 2-2 draw at Pachuca and needed to win in the 2nd leg at home to obtain the championship. After a hard-fought game, it was Gol de Oro by Alejandro Glaria that won the title for Los Tuzos.
Cruzazuleada #9
The 09-10 ConcaChampions Final between Los Tuzos and La Maquina is credited with the birth of the Cruzazulear term. Cruz Azul won the 1st leg 2-1 at home, and needed a draw or win to win the title. However, in the 92nd minute, El Pajaro Benitez’s goal gave Pachuca the title on away goals.
Cruzazuleada #8
Cruz Azul played host to a wounded America in Week Eight of the Apertura 2016 team that had gotten rocked by arch-nemesis Chivas just the week before. After 25 minutes, La Maquina led Las Águilas 3-0. In the 52nd minute, Aldo Leao received a red card, and a minute later the comeback was on. Again, late goals in the 89th and 92nd minute sealed the remontada for Las Aguilas.
Cruzazuleada #7
All Cruz Azul had to do to qualify for the Liguilla of the Bicentenario 10 was to win their last game of the season vs a depleted Chivas team. Emmanuel Villa scored in the sixth minute and it looked good for Loz Azules. However, in the 33rd minute, an own goal by Edcarlos Conceicao sealed Cruz Azul’s fate.
Cruzazuleada #6
In the Repechaje 2003, Cruz Azul beat Chivas 4-1 in the 1st leg and started the 2nd leg with a 1-0 lead after a Palencia PK. Chivas fought back and had the score 3-1 at halftime, and in the 60th minute, Jair Garcia’s solo goal sealed Cruz Azul’s elimination.
La Maquina seemed to have booked their ticket to the final of the Guardianes 2020 after a dominant 4-0 victory at home. In the latest Cruzazuleada Pumas came back with a three-goal first half, then in the 89th minute, Juan Pablo Vigon’s goal turned their dream into a familiar nightmare.
Cruzazuleada #4
If you want to see the true definition of a Cruzazuelada, watch this game. La Maquina lost the 1st leg at home 2-0 but managed to claw their way back and force overtime even as they were denied the probably the clearest PK of all time and ended Cesar Villaluz’s career. If that wasn’t enough Miguel Almazon’s PK hit the crossbar and bounced off of Yosgart Gutierrez’s head and into the goal.
Cruzazuleada #3
In the Clausura 2011 semifinals, Los Celestes beat Morelia 2-0 in the 1st leg at home, but Morelia evened the game up in 11 minutes in the 2nd leg, and two minutes from the end a former Celeste, Jaime Lozano eliminated his ex-team.
Cruzazuleada #2
In the Apertura 2010, Los Cementeros were on a tear. They went undefeated at home and boasted the league’s best attack and defense. They beat Pumas 2-1 at CU and again seemed to have everything in their favor. In true Cruz Azul fashion, however, Martin Bravo scored just one minute into the 2nd leg of the game and in the 84th minute Juan Carlos Cacho, a Cruz Azul canterano, scored a PK that eliminated Los Celestes in the first round.
Cruzazuleada #1
Probably the most famous or infamous Cruzazuleada depending on how you look at it was in the 2013 Clausura final. La Maquina won the 1st leg at home 1-0 and in the 14th minute of the game was playing against 10 men after Jesus Molina was sent off. Then six minutes later, Teofilo Gutierrez seemed to seal the deal with his goal. Cruz Azul went on to miss chance after chance to put the game out of reach, and in the 89th minute, Mosquera gave Las Aguilas life, with a header off a corner kick. In the 93rd minute, THAT Moises Munoz goal happened. La Maquina went on to miss their first two penalty shots and Miguel Layun sealed the comeback and championship for Las Aguilas.
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