Cruz Azul started this Clausura 2023 by rescuing a draw on the Mexican border, tying 1-1 against Xolos de Tijuana and thus collecting their first point of the tournament, thanks to the goal scored by Carlos Rodríguez, who came off the bench to save the team led by Raúl Gutiérrez from their first defeat.
Xolos took the lead with a goal from their captain, Lisandro López, who scored from the penalty spot, defeating Chuy Corona, who was the hero of the match, saving the Blues on more than six occasions.
In Matchday 2, Cruz Azul will host Monterrey at the Azteca Stadium, a duel that looks attractive due to the style of both teams and the clash of the Funes Mori twins; while Xolos will visit Bravos de Juárez.
Chuy Corona, the hero
José de Jesús Corona is like 'fine wine', because despite being 41 years old, he showed that he is in optimal conditions to continue guarding Cruz Azul's goal. In the debut of La Máquina in this Clausura 2023, Chuy was the hero of the Blues in the first half, preventing them from going to halftime being defeated by Xolos.
From the beginning of the match, Raúl Gutiérrez's team did not feel comfortable at Caliente Stadium, as the celeste players were unfocused and inaccurate in their passes, especially in the defensive zone, a situation that the fronterizos took advantage of to generate danger on the blue goal.
Corona threw himself to his right side, to his left side, up, down, and with remarkable reflexes, he deflected the shots from Lucas Rodríguez, Braian Romero, and Alexis Canelo, who at times seemed to be screaming for a goal, but Chuy stole their celebration.
Despite not having managed to have a clear chance on Toño Rodríguez's goal, Cruz Azul was close to surprising Xolos, but the rojinegros' defender, Víctor Guzmán, saved Ricardo Valiño's team, as he cleared a header from Michael Estrada off the goal line.
The final stretch of the first half came to the referee's stopwatch and it seemed that the score would remain intact, but Nacho Rivero opened the door for Xolos to take the lead, as he committed a foul inside the penalty area. After a VAR review, the referee, Daniel Quintero Huitrón, awarded a penalty in favor of Xolos.
Lisandro López was in charge of converting the penalty with a low shot to the left post of Corona, who, despite having been the celestes' savior, could not prevent his goal from falling and going into halftime with a 1-0 deficit.
Survived at the border
For the second half, El Potro Gutiérrez made three substitutions and gave Charly Rodríguez, Gonzalo Carneiro, and Jordan Silva entry, moves that had an effect, as La Máquina leveled the match, forcing Xolos to retreat and divide the ball, not being the owners of the ball as in the first half.
Nacho Rivero, who was the villain, had the opportunity to redeem himself. Rivero entered the small area and brought the ball down near Toño Rodríguez, but he failed to put it into the back of the net, leaving the ball in the hands of the goalkeeper, missing the equalizer.
As the minutes passed, the match became a back and forth affair in both goals. Xolos positioned themselves in the celeste area and Corona saved La Máquina once again from a second goal.
With six minutes remaining in the match, Cruz Azul had created four clear chances on Xolos' goal, and it seemed that they would suffer their first defeat in the tournament, but Charly Rodríguez, who came off the bench in the second half, saved the celestes from their first loss. Rotondi made a run down the left wing and took a low shot that went through the entire border defense and reached the feet of Rodrigo Huescas, who, with the inside of his foot, put the ball into the net.
In stoppage time, Cruz Azul sought to win the match and came close to taking all three points, but Toño Rodríguez saved the fronterizos, who ran out of steam in the final stretch of the game.