LIGA MX
Apertura 2023: Cruz Azul dumped out... the pundits’ post-mortem
The Cementeros were left without options of advancing to the next phase of the tournament. Pundits gave their thoughts on the team’s campaign.
The few chances that Cruz Azul had of being among the teams fighting to qualify for the Play-In are now over after the team crashed to a 1-0 defeat to Chivas on Saturday. A round-trip match that was settled in stoppage-time.
Yael Padilla slammed in the winner with just seconds left at Akron stadium. The result leaves Cruz Azul 15th in the table on 17 points - two points behind Mazátlan, who have a game in hand, in 10th. The Cementeros could slip even further down the standings after the remainder of this weekend’s fixtures are played. It means that now, all that remains for Cruz Azul is to think about the next tournament.
Complete failure
Journalists themselves and soccer experts picked apart the team’s performance against Chivas, the campaign as a whole and what comes next for the club. Sports journalist, David Faitelson who in a few words made his point of view clear and attacked the latest display delivered by La Máquina. To lose a key match in the dying seconds seemed to sum up what Faitelson described as a “pathetic season” for Cruz Azul.
Unaware that they must win the game
Both Paco Villa and Carlos Guerrero were critical of the team’s lack of urgency against Guadalajara and also questioned the coach Joaquín Moreno, who they felt appeared unaware that this was a game that his team needed to win to stay alive in the competition.
The Neutrals
And last, but not least, those who limited themselves to only reporting the facts and did not go into details or give opinions that could cause controversy, such as Paco González and André Marín in their respective accounts.
Cruz Azul bring the regular phase of the Apertura 2023 to a close next weekend when they welcome Puebla to the Azteca.