The second leg of the Cruz Azul vs Santos Semifinal will be held at the Estadio Azul in Mexico City, this Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 6:00 PM Pacific. Cruz Azul won the first leg of this semifinal, held in Torreon, by a final score of 3-0. This complicated result forces Santos to win by a 3 goal margin and score at least 4 goals (4-0, 4-1, 5-2, etc, 3-0 would eliminate them due to Cruz Azul having a higher seed). Given Cruz Azul’s recent string of successes, it seems highly unlikely that Santos will pull off the miracle.
Cruz Azul has scored 7 goals through thee playoff matches, while only allowing 3. The Cementeros are playing an attacking style that delights the fans, and has worked in their favor to get the necessary results. Against Morelia in the quarterfinals, it was a battle of two great offenses, 7 goals were scored in two matches, and Cruz Azul came out the victor. Against Santos at the TSM, no one expected Cruz Azul to score as many goals as it did.
Santos came into the semifinals as the best defense in the Liga MX, only to be torn apart by the best offense in the league. Now, they are forced to score 4 goals at the Estadio Azul. Santos will have to play their best game of the season on Sunday, or it will be eliminated from the tournament. However, their statistics in the regular season give Santos only a slim chance.
Santos did not score 4 goals in any of the 20 matches it has played this season. In fact, Santos scored 3 goals only once, against the lowly Jaguares. Add to the fact that Santos’ best offensive player, Oribe Peralta, is out with an injury, and this difficult task of winning by so many goals becomes almost impossible.
This means that we will more than likely see the Clasico Joven in the championship series, an America vs Cruz Azul derby that is sure to generate the highest ratings the Liga MX has seen in years. The two teams have been playing great during the playoffs, and it promises to be a spectacular championship.
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Cruz Azul vs Santos Semifinal Prediction
The Cruz Azul vs Santos semifinal second leg match is unlikely to be an intense engagement. The likelihood of Santos getting close to the 4 goals it needs to move on is so small, that the match is likely to be resolved early on. Expect Cruz Azul to go out and attack from the get-go, in order to seal the deal and avoid any type of miracle upset. Santos has little chance, and will not come close to the upset.The match will end in a 2-1 victory for Cruz Azul.
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Cruz Azul vs Santos Television
The Cruz Azul vs Santos match will be televised on Azteca America this Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 6:00 PM Pacific.
