Cruz Azul Draws in Mazatlán Despite Stellar Play

Cruz Azul concluded with a draw against Mazatlán, showcasing impressive gameplay. The “Machine” struggled to hold onto their lead as the “Gunmen” found an equalizer through a VAR-confirmed penalty. Despite creating several scoring opportunities at the Estadio El Encanto, Cruz Azul broke their streak of two consecutive wins. Meanwhile, Mazatlán salvaged a draw in the final moments of the match, continuing their fight to climb from the bottom of the coefficient table.

Cruz Azul entered El Encanto with the daunting task of overcoming almost five years without an away win against Mazatlán. They nearly took the lead in under a minute as Rodolfo Rotondi sent in a cross that Ángel Sepúlveda headed against the crossbar, signaling the first alert of the game. Dominating possession in the first half, Cruz Azul threatened again with a quick-turn shot from Rotondi that narrowly missed the frame guarded by Hugo González.

The visitors maintained their strong start into the second half. Rotondi once again delivered a ball into the area, met by Sepúlveda, whose header ricocheted off the post, landing at Giorgios Giakoumakis’s feet, who narrowly missed the target. Finally, Cruz Azul’s persistence paid off with a goal from Mateusz Bogusz, marking his first score in Mexico in spectacular style. The Polish forward executed a flawless free-kick to the top right corner, bouncing off the crossbar and into the net at the 62nd minute.

However, Cruz Azul couldn’t hold the advantage, as an error from Ángel Sepúlveda allowed Mazatlán to level the game. Attempting a defensive play, Sepúlveda handled the ball inside his area, with the VAR review prompting referee Luis García to award a penalty in the 82nd minute. Nicolás Benedetti executed the penalty flawlessly, deceiving Kevin Mier to secure the draw.

Cruz Azul’s two-game winning streak has come to a halt, leaving them with 18 points, stuck in fifth place overall. Mazatlán now claims a crucial point, edging closer to Puebla and Atlas, the teams they’re competing with at the bottom of the coefficient table.