Cruz Azul bids farewell to its home with a victory

For 72 years, the Nochebuena neighborhood took on the responsibility of being a 'City of Sports'. Today, after so many stories, it was the last time that Indiana Street enjoyed an afternoon of soccer with the match between Cruz Azul and Morelia.

La Máquina took the farewell seriously and said goodbye to its home with a 2-0 victory over Monarcas with goals from Cauteruccio and Ángel Mena.

It was a regular phase match that marked the farewell, but for Cruz Azul and its fans, it was like a championship afternoon.

A DIGNIFIED FIRST HALF

Around the Azul Stadium, the atmosphere was unbeatable. The blue fans sold out the tickets for their last regular phase match at home. With chants and shouts, the fans asked La Máquina to bid farewell as it deserves. With a victory.

With that boost, Cruz Azul took to the field. They knew that the least they could do for the venue that sheltered them for 22 years was to bid it farewell in a dignified manner, despite being far from the playoffs.

That's why in the first seven minutes, La Máquina showed that they came out to win with a long-range shot from Madueña that hit the post, then a cross from the right side that Velázquez flicked on and Mena shot on goal but the ball hit the post again; finally, Cauteruccio tried with a crossed shot that Sosa saved in two attempts.

The arrivals of La Máquina were real and the goal didn't take long to come. In the 11th minute, Ángel Mena crossed for 'Caute' who shot at close range in front of Sosa, but the goalkeeper saved with his hands and the ball rebounded and went towards the goal, and the Uruguayan pushed it to confirm the 1-0.

The blue and red mosaic in the stands felt that goal as if it were a championship. The fans celebrated it like no one else. It was a little late, but Cauteruccio's comeback in the last few matches was giving the audience the joy they demanded.

On the visitors' side, there were few glimpses. Roberto Hernández, Morelia's coach, had indicated in the previous days that he needed to see how the team functioned without their top scorer, Raúl Ruidíaz, and the reality was that they only had two dangerous shots in the first half.

The first one was in the 31st minute, with Jefferson Duque shaking Corona's goal with a shot that passed inches from the goal; then, in the 34th minute, Ángel Sepúlveda hit a header on the right post of Chuy Corona.

Before those actions, La Máquina had threatened with danger when Baca recovered the ball in midfield, passed it to the right side with Rodríguez who crossed for Mena, but the Ecuadorian didn't reach it.

However, in the 38th minute, the player was rewarded. Walter Montoya reached the left side, crossed for Cauteruccio who, in front of Sosa's exit, decided to pass it to Mena to push the ball into the net and make it 2-0. Again, the Azul Stadium resounded.

The celestials had the partial victory in the bag, but as happened so many times in this stadium, they had to wait until the 90th minute to sing victory. Meanwhile, the fans continued to chant.

THE BEST FAREWELL FOR AZUL

The second 45 minutes had always been the most agonizing for La Máquina because either the opponent turned the score around in that period or they equalized in the final stretch. Anything could happen, it was already very predictable.

So Cruz Azul had to protect their lead from the beginning because Morelia started to create chances with Achilier, Guzmán, and Lescano, but Chuy was attentive to save them.

Little by little, Cruz Azul was starting to play well again, they couldn't let Morelia catch up. In the 52nd minute, Caute received from the midfield and dribbled past Morelia's left back, passed it to Montoya, but the Argentine didn't arrive in time to finish.

Cruz Azul wanted more and bet on Carlos Fierro in the 55th minute, replacing Montoya, and almost immediately after his entry, El Güero dribbled the ball and took a shot that Sosa saved. In the 70th minute, Fierro himself headed a cross from Aldrete that went wide.

In the midst of a great ovation for the last afternoon they had given them, Martin Cauteruccio left the field and among those same applause, Felipe Mora entered. Playing alongside Fierro, he headed the ball, but Sosa caught it in the 79th minute.

Nothing more was heard from Morelia. They let themselves be consumed by the "Olé, olé, olé, cada día te quiero más. Yo soy celeste" that echoed in every corner of the Azul Stadium.

Some say that the stadium will end its cycle just as it began, with an American football game, but it was Cruz Azul and the love of its loyal fans that always gave it life. Until today.