Cruz Azul and America drew without goals this Friday in the first quarterfinal match of the Apertura 2017 of Liga MX.
Despite playing with one less player since minute 30 due to the expulsion of Edson Álvarez, the American team was not inferior and could even open the scoring through Oribe Peralta, who missed a penalty just before halftime.
The second leg match will be played on Sunday at 09:00 p.m. (Peruvian time) at the Azteca Stadium.
For this match, the team that wins or ties with a goal scored will advance to the semifinals. If the goalless draw persists, America will be the one advancing to the next round.
Cruz Azul vs America – The goals
Cruz Azul vs America – Lineups
Cruz Azul: José Corona, Domínguez, Flores, Velázquez, Roco, Peñalba, Silva, Edgar Méndez, Rodríguez, Baca, Mora.
America: Marchesín, Pablo Aguilar, Paul Aguilar, Valdez, Álvarez, Vargas, William da Silva, Uribe, Rodríguez, Peralta, Quintero.
Stadium: Azul.
Time: 08:30 p.m. (Peruvian time).
TV channel: Channel 5 and TDN (only for Mexico).
Cruz Azul vs America – Live
Min 90+3 End of the match. Cruz Azul and America drew without goals.
Min 89 Substitution in America. Torres enters for Quintero.
Min 82 Substitution in America. Arce enters for Peralta.
Min 78 Substitution in America: Díaz enters for William da Silva.
Min 76 Great reaction from Marchesín to save Mora's shot.
Min 71 Substitution in Cruz Azul. Mena enters for Baca.
Min 71 Substitution in Cruz Azul. Cauteruccio enters for Rodríguez.
Min 60 The goalless draw continues at the Azul Stadium. The home team can't open the scoring despite having one more player.
Min 46 The second half begins.
MEDIOTIEMPO
Min 45+2 End of the first half. Cruz Azul and America draw without goals.
Min 37 Corona saves Peralta's shot! Still no goals.
Min 36 Penalty for America! Domínguez commits a foul inside the area and the referee awards the penalty.
Min 35 Good shot from Paul Aguilar and José Corona responds excellently.
Min 30 Yellow card for Uribe, who gets sent off.
Min 23 Good header from Mora, but Marchesín reacts very well.
Min 18 Good intervention from Marchesín to prevent Cruz Azul from scoring the first goal, they dominate in these early minutes.
Min 14 Yellow card for Peñalba from Cruz Azul.
Min 7 Yellow card for Uribe from America.
Min 1 The match starts at the Azul Stadium.
Pre-match: The teams enter the field.
Pre-match: The lineups are confirmed.
Pre-match: Good night, friends from Peru.com! We're ready for the match Cruz Azul vs America!
Cruz Azul vs America – Preview
The Cruz Azul vs America match will be a do-or-die duel between two of the most rivalry teams in Liga MX.
Both teams have had ups and downs and tomorrow they must show their best level in a match where Jémez's team will try to impose conditions as the home side against an America team that has had their number.
Jémez has a pending task of defeating America, which he has lost against twice in the league and once in the Copa MX round of 16 this semester, defeats that tarnish their record in Mexico where they have put their stamp with good football but haven't achieved the expected results.
On Thursday, Cruz Azul is obliged to win and then manage the result as visitors at the Azteca, and they will achieve that if they show the personality they lacked in several moments of the year where they lost advantages and failed in decisive moments to the point where Jémez himself said that his team is not big.
Chilean Felipe Mora and Spaniard Édgar Méndez will be the spearheads of an attack that will try to cause damage against an America team with a good defense and quality attackers like Mexican Oribe Peralta, Argentine Silvio Romero, Colombian Andrés Mateus Uribe, and Paraguayan Cecilio Domínguez.