The second leg of the Cruz Azul vs Leon quarterfinal match will take place this Saturday, November 17, 2012 (8:00 PM EDT) at the Estadio Leon in Guanajuato. During the first leg match, Cruz Azul took a 2-1 victory in a game filled with offensive opportunities. Leon, who is the higher seed, will now take the disadvantage at home and attempt to win by a 1-0 score or by more than two goals.
The ‘panzas verdes’ of Leon are under extreme pressure to win their home game this Saturday when they face Cruz Azul. After losing a difficult match at the Estadio Azul, Leon will now play with the support of their fans and with the advantage of knowing that they could be destructive in their home field.
Coach Gustavo Matosas has no option but to go in the attack from the first minute. This will not be unusual for Leon because that is the system they have played all season long. In case the score is not 1-0 in favor of the home squad, Leon will need to win by two or more goals. If the score were to end 2-1, the aggregate score is 3-3 ad that will allow the panzas verdes to qualify into the semifinals.
Individual players to watch for the second leg match will be Jesus Corona for Cruz Azul. He was outstanding and a game changer in the first match, therefore he will be crucial to prevent many Leon goals. For Leon, Uruguayan forward Matias Britos will be important to watch. He started on the bench in the previous game which was something out of the ordinary. For the second leg match, Leon needs to score goals therefore it will be important to have Britos from the beginning that scores a few goals but is also important in assisting them.
Cruz Azul was the best defense during the regular season, and that was significant to obtain the win on Wednesday night. However, it was not necessarily the back line of four who made the difference, rather, it was all-star goalkeeper Jesus Corona. Corona has shown to be a leader at the club level and at the national team, but his performance in the first leg was nothing less than extraordinary. If Corona is able to have another great night, the score will undoubtedly be in favor of Cruz Azul.
Prediction: As previously written in the article, “Who is the favorite to win the Liga MX playoffs?“, Cruz Azul was chosen to defeat Leon in an interesting, and hard fought quarterfinal. Today, the ‘cementeros’ take a 2-1 advantage into Leon, but most importantly, this is a team that has been playing well, and who is a favorite for the title. On the other hand, Leon also played a good game but their Cinderella season, sadly, will soon end. The second leg of the Cruz Azul vs Leon series will end in a 2-2 tie, and a pass for Cruz Azul into the semifinals.
Television: The Cruz Azul vs Leon match will be shown this Saturday, November 17, 2012 at 8:00 PM Eastern on Telemundo.
