MEXICO CITY — In a thrilling showdown, Angel Sepulveda emerged as the hero for Cruz Azul, netting two crucial goals to secure a 2-1 victory over local rivals America. This win propelled Cruz Azul into the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Sepulveda opened the scoring in the 12th minute and sealed the victory with a decisive goal in the 85th minute. With this victory, la Maquina now advances to face Tigres, who defeated LA Galaxy 3-2. In the other semifinal matchups, Inter Miami is set to take on LA FC, while Pumas will go up against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Reflecting on the thrilling win, Sepulveda expressed his determination, “Yesterday, I shared our belief that we could succeed, and we’ve shown it. Even at 1-1, we remained confident. We truly earned this moment.”
For the first time in twelve years, Cruz Azul managed to oust America in a knockout stage, marking a significant milestone. They are now aiming for their seventh CONCACAF title, which will place them on equal footing with America as the most successful club in the region’s history.
Acknowledging the challenge, Cruz Azul’s captain, Ignacio Rivero, praised their opponents, “You have to give it to them, they are a great opponent with good players,” Rivero noted. “But today we were more focused and we take home the reward.”
America’s goal came from the boot of Spanish midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo, who found the net in the 57th minute. Fidalgo, who had a brief tenure with Real Madrid, gave Amercia brief hope with his equalizer.
For America, the club with the biggest financial backing in Mexico, it marked yet another opportunity lost in pursuit of their first CONCACAF title since 2016. The previous year saw America falter in the semifinals against Pachuca, adding to their frustrations.
Cruz Azul’s win served as a sweet revenge, following recent defeats to America in the Clausura 2024 finals and the Apertura 2024 semifinals. Celebrating the victory, Sepulveda looked forward, commenting, “This is an unforgettable night for us, and we want to keep the pace. Tigres is a great opponent so we will celebrate tonight, and we will think about them tomorrow.”