This is how long it took Nicolás Ibáñez to open his Cruz Azul scoring account

After a deal to bring in João Pedro from Atlético San Luis collapsed during the winter transfer window, Cruz Azul managed to secure the deadline-day signing of Nicolás Ibáñez, who recently wrapped up his stint with Tigres.

And it took the Argentinian striker no time at all to open his scoring account for his new club.

Nico nets on debut as Cruz Azul crushes Vancouver

In Cruz Azul’s CONCACAF Champions Cup win over MLS team Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday, Ibáñez needed just 30 minutes to make an impact. Introduced at half time of the first-round second leg, he struck in the 75th minute to deliver the Liga MX club’s final goal in a 5-0 rout in Mexico City.

The 31-year-old’s debut strike - which helped Los Cementeros to complete an 8-0 aggregate triumph - means he has significantly outpaced the scoring starts made by his most recent big-name predecessors at center-forward.

Gabriel Fernández arrived at Cruz Azul for the Clausura 2024, and it wasn’t until Matchday 3 that he netted his first goal, against Mazatlán. Later that year, Greece’s Giorgos Giakoumakis joined as a reinforcement for the Apertura, and he too had to wait until Matchday 3 to score his first, which came against Tijuana.

Who will Cruz Azul play next in the ‘Concachampions’?

Having eliminated Vancouver at the first hurdle of the Champions Cup, tournament holders Cruz Azul will now face fellow Mexicans Monterrey in the round of 16. The two-legged tie against Rayados, who knocked out Guatemalans Xelajú in the first round, will take place on as yet unconfirmed dates in March.

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