Atlas eliminated once again but remains true to its history

The first twelve minutes were all for `Pepe´ Cruz's team, but in a flash, the goal of Los Regios came and the story ended. Atlas was eliminated and it will be twelve years without reaching a semi-final. The Atlético fans cannot overcome their history and now Rayados has dealt them a blow of reality.

Rayados 4, Atlas 1. Rayados 6, Rojinegros 2 overall score.

The first 45 minutes did not resemble a playoff game. Today there were goals, emotions, and the series was defined quickly.

Rayados, without French signings, nor the salaries of the Chilean Vargas, managed to have an almost perfect first half and tilted the battle in their favor.

In Atlas, they need goals but `Profe´ Cruz forgot about Alustiza, who was left on the bench. But in any case, `Chavo´ could do little, as the Rayados had already scored four goals before the first 40 minutes had passed.

The first thirteen minutes were all for Atlas, in fact, they had three very clear opportunities, but they did not see Hugo González's goal, the nerves were setting in, but the Zorros were not doing any damage.

But in a flash of the Regios, the goal that made the difference arrived. Avilés Hurtado received the ball and touched it first with the arrival of Funes Mori, who hit it with his left foot and scored a goal for the hosts. Then, Atlas tried to come out with the ball under control, and in a weak clearance, `Negro´ Sánchez arrived and scored a goal for the Regios, in the blink of an eye, two goals from the northern team had already fallen. The third goal for La Pandilla came from Avilés Hurtado, who took advantage of a mistake from the Rojinegra defense and scored with his right foot.

Atlas tried to react and in a corner kick, Caraglio was fouled and the Argentine left-footer put it away.

The Rojinegros only needed three goals for the miracle, but immediately a new mistake from Fraga occurred and the fourth goal for the Regios was scored, once again, Avilés Hurtado scored a new goal in favor of his team.

In the second half, `Profe´ Cruz needed goals and one of his first substitutions was Javier Salas, then Rafa Márquez asked to be replaced and Luis Robles came in, as well as Alustiza, who entered for Vigón, but the goals did not come, on the contrary, at the 53rd minute, Fraga won a one-on-one against Neri in a great save by the visiting goalkeeper.

The last few minutes were an exchange of blows between the two teams, but the Atlético players were already very weakened, four goals were too much of a difference and the Zorros could never recover.

Without Rafa Márquez and with the Cruz and Alustiza dispute at its peak, the match was getting old and the goals for the Zorros did not arrive, the Atlas team needed four goals for the second half, but as they say in the town, they messed up the glue.

Atlas couldn't do any damage and Rayados no longer wanted to. The second half was all for Rayados, but they did not give width to the game and that's how the dispute ended.

The Zorros lost in the first leg, but not because of the refereeing, in the second leg, they conceded four goals in 39 minutes and the corrido (a type of traditional Mexican song) came to an end for the Atlas players, the reality is that there is no communion, nor an attack from the Zorros. Today, Atlas was exposed against Rayados, if Fraga had not given away that goal against Pachuca, the Zorros would have had a different fate, but that is no longer a topic of discussion.

Atlas was eliminated with a 6-2 aggregate score and now we have to wait for the next season, but surely one of the two, `Pepe Cruz´ or Matías Alustiza, will no longer be part of the team.

GPE