Colombian goalkeeper Kevin Mier’s Cruz Azul will host Costa Rican international Keylor Navas’ Pumas UNAM tomorrow in the first leg of the Mexican Clausura final.
The long-standing rivalry between the two teams will be an additional ingredient in the championship series, in which the Azules of coach Joel Huiqui will be seeking their tenth championship, while the universitarios of coach Efraín Juárez will be aiming to win their eighth star.
Cruz Azul arrives stronger, but Pumas survive
It is a duel of reserved prognosis.
Although the Pumas were the best team in the regular phase with the best offense and second best defense, they were unable to beat their quarterfinal and semifinal opponents.
Those who were eliminated for having played better in the qualifying phase.
Pumas tied América 6-6 and stayed alive thanks to an action by others.
A penalty missed by Henry Martín that at the end of the second leg could have given the Azulcremas the pass.
Against Pachuca, they lost 1-0 away to the Tuzos and won by the same margin at home.
The sky-blue team finished third in the standings, but eliminated Atlas 4-2 and Chivas Guadalajara 4-3.
(Filed under: Cruz Azul vs Pumas final).
Kevin Mier seeks redemption against Keylor Navas
Tomorrow, Huiquí’s team will go out to impose conditions as a local team, hoping that Mier shows his level and does not fail at zero hour.
As it did in two of the last three championships and in the semifinal of the current tournament against Guadalajara.
He is a very talented goalkeeper and if he keeps his concentration he will contribute a lot to the Azules, in a duel with the legendary Navas, who was a Real Madrid star.
After ensuring order at the back, Cruz Azul will attack with Nigerian Christian Ebere and Argentines José Paradela and Agustín Palavecino.
They will try to break Navas, who has conceded seven goals in his team’s last four matches (Filed as: Cruz Azul vs Pumas final).
A highly unpredictable showdown
QuéOnnda.com
Obsessed with breaking their drought
Although they will settle for a draw to decide the final on Sunday at their home stadium, Pumas will be looking to do some damage with Paraguay’s Robert Morales, Brazil’s Juninho and Panama’s Adalberto Carrasquilla.
It will be the first time in more than a decade that the final will be played by two teams with Mexican coaches.
And it remains to be seen who is more skillful between Huiqui and Juárez, technicians with different styles; the former, sober, the latter, explosive.
Cruz Azul won its most recent title in the Clausura 2021 tournament.
Pumas did so in the 2011 Clausura, which means that both teams are obsessed with reigning supreme in order to halt their championship-less streak.
(Filed under: Cruz Azul vs Pumas final).
With information from EFE
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