How sweet it is! Twenty-three years of anguish and frustration came to an end for Cruz Azul on Sunday night as the Cementeros claimed the franchise’s ninth Liga MX title with a 2-1 aggregate win over a feisty Santos Laguna side.
Tears flowed freely on the pitch and in the stands (25,000 fans were in Estadio Azteca), washing away decades of heartache after “La Máquina” finished off a remarkable bounce-back from a disastrous playoff collapse just six months ago.
“Cabecita” Rodríguez slotted home in minute 51 to finish off a lightning-quick fast break against his former team, offsetting Diego Valdés’ wonder goal in the first half.
The top-seeded Cementeros protected the slim advantage for 40 tense minutes, extended 5 agonizing minutes after a donnybrook in minute 90+4. Soon thereafter, Cruz Azul players exulted in triumph, some collapsing onto the pitch of the “Coloso de Santa Úrsula,” others dancing jigs while shouting at the top of their lungs. Pure joy!
Cementeros Nation exhales as Cruz Azul ends title drought
The Grand Final against Santos Laguna represented the club’s seventh Liga MX Final since the Cementeros last won the title. Six soul-crushing losses at the finish line, twice to bitter rivals América.
All of it put to rest after Cruz Azul’s Big Blue Wall in front of goalie Jesús Corona resisted 90 minutes of Santos pressure. The visiting Guerreros had 65 percent of possession and a decent 78 percent pass-completion rate. But only one of the measly 11 shots they managed was on target, though that was a thing of beauty.
Santos again proved vulnerable on the road (1-3-4 away from home during the season and 0-2-1 on the road in the Liga MX playoffs). The Guerreros got caught upfield off their own corner kick and before you could say “Rivero heads clear to Yoshimar Yotún who shakes two defenders with head-man pass to a streaking “Cabecita” who chips the onrushing Acevedo,” the ball was in the back of the net.
Remarkably, “Cabecita” started the break by heading the Santos corner kick clear at the near post before basically sprinting 90 yards to finish off the break. Also key was the hustle of “Pol” Fernández who closed down quickly to block Fernando Gorriarán’s shot attempt and launching the counter-attack.
Sweet victory for long-suffering Cruz Azul vets
There was defender “Cata” Domínguez, the longest-tenured Cementero (the Chiapas native debuted in 2005) and four-time Finals loser.
There was 40-year-old skipper “Chuy” Corona, the Olympic Gold medalist was in between the pipes for the last three Cruz Azul losses in the Finals, including those two against the hated Aguilas.
There was Rafa Baca, the “mojado” who battled his way into Liga MX from MLS in 2013, then persevered at Cruz Azul after initially being viewed as surplus, before becoming the heady midfield plugger that now defines his career.
There was Oscar “Conejo” Pérez, Cementeros goalie coach and the starting keeper on that victorious 1997 team, and also the starter in the stunning 1999 Finals to upstart Pachuca, the loss that started the curse.
There was Adrián Aldrete, 3-time Liga MX champ and Under-17 World Cup champ (Yes. He was a starter alongside Carlos Vela, Gio dos Santos and Héctor Moreno on that historic Mexico team).
Also proudly wearing winner’s medals were 3-time Liga MX champions Pablo Aguilar, the heart-and-soul of the Cementeros back line, and Elías Hernández, the veteran winger brought into the club three years ago to revive the moribund franchise.
But most of all, there was Juan Reynoso, the fourth-choice coaching candidate handed the keys to the roster just days before the season opener. The former Cruz Azul defender – the captain of that Invierno 1997 championship team – rewrote franchise history.
The Cementeros set a Liga MX short-season record for wins (13), tied the Liga MX record for most points in a 17-game season (41), tied the Liga MX record for most wins in a row (12), led Liga MX in fewest goals allowed (13), tied for most goals scored (26). Through it all, Reynoso pulled the strings masterfully, keeping his players fresh, experimenting with tactics and styles.
With Sunday’s result, the Peruvian becomes the fifth person to win a Liga MX title as both a player and a coach for the same franchise. You’ll have to read the post-season wrap to find out who the four others are.
Notes: The lone road win in the playoffs this season came in the first leg of the finals and it proved critical. Home teams were 13-4-1 in the Guardianes 2021 playoffs with a +22 goal differential (35 goals for, 13 goals against).
In Thursday’s opener at the Estadio Corona in Torreón, Cruz Azul demonstrated the tenacity that made them Liga MX Road Warriors. Despite allowing 65-percent possession, the Big Blue Wall limited Santos to 1 single shot on goal. The Cementeros were 6-1-1 (9 goals scored, 2 goals against) away from home during the regular season.
Ed: The article originally said Juan Reynoso was the seventh person to win a Liga MX title as both player and coach for the same franchise.