Argentine coach Nicolás Larcamón’s Cruz Azul defeated compatriot Gabriel Milito’s Chivas de Guadalajara 3-2 on Sunday to qualify for the semifinals of the Apertura 2025 Mexican soccer tournament.
Cruz Azul will face Tigres in the semifinals, who defeated Tijuana 5-0 on Saturday to win the quarterfinal series 5-3 on aggregate.
Cruz Azul beats Chivas
One more step forward, one more step in search of the tenth 🏆
Thank you @CruzAzul for the delivery and the result, now we are on our way to the semifinals 💙#CruzAzul #ElComienzoDeUnaNuevaEra #AzulDePorVida pic.twitter.com/0IsUjZcM4R
– Novibet Mexico (@NovibetMexico) December 1, 2025
Uruguay’s Gabriel Fernández, Jeremy Márquez and Carlos Rodríguez scored for the Azules today, while Code Cawll and Bryan González scored for Guadalajara.
Chivas, obliged to win because a draw would have eliminated them, went in search of a goal and just in the 8th minute they took the lead with a goal by Cawella on a pass from Roberto Alvarado.
The Azules kept their composure and from then on attacked in search of an equalizer, which they got in the 14th minute when Jeremy Márquez set up Fernández for a lethal left-footed strike to make it 1-1.
Milito’s Guadalajara insisted on their attitude of not respecting the rival, treated them as you and in the 35th minute hurt them with a goal by Bryan González, who accepted an assist from Cawell and scored with a right hand shot to make it 1-2, which at that moment put Chivas in the semifinal.
Cruz Azul went on the attack in search of the equalizer, pressed and in the 72nd minute tied the score with a right-footed goal by Márquez, off a pass from Carlos Rodríguez.
The duel increased in intensity with Guadalajara looking for the goal needed to advance to the semifinal and the Blue and Blue attentive to defend.
Jesus Orozco committed a foul in the area and Guadalajara had everything in its favor to win. Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández, the Mexican national team’s top scorer, took the penalty in the 86th minute, sending the ball over the bar to confirm that at 37 years of age he has little to contribute as a professional soccer player.
The last few minutes were a dizzying affair, with Guadalajara pushing forward in search of the goal they needed to reach the semifinals and Cruz Azul well positioned to defend the tie.
Chivas left space at the back and Cruz Azul confirmed the victory with a goal by Rodríguez on a pass from Gabriel Fernández.
With two goals from Argentine Juan Brunetta, one from his compatriot Nicolás Ibáñez, one from Ozziel Herrera and the other from Juan Pablo Vigón, Tigres overcame a 0-3 first leg deficit to win the series 5-3.
In the other semi-final, champions Toluca, who eliminated Juárez 2-1, will face Monterrey, the team of Spaniard Sergio Ramos.
Coached by Spaniard Domenec Torrent, the Rayados lost 1-2 to América on Saturday, but eliminated them by winning the series 3-2 on aggregate.
Shortly thereafter, Argentine coach Antonio Mohamed’s champion Toluca played to a goalless draw with Juarez FC and qualified for the semifinals of the Apertura 2025 Mexican soccer tournament, winning the series 2-1.
Filed under: Cruz Azul beats Chivas
With information from EFE
