{"id":29976,"date":"2024-05-17T15:38:19","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T21:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gambyl.com\/?p=29976"},"modified":"2024-07-10T17:05:05","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T23:05:05","slug":"cruz-azul-vs-monterrey-liguilla-semifinals-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gambyl.com\/en\/liga-mx\/cruz-azul-vs-monterrey-liguilla-semifinals-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Cruz Azul vs. Monterrey: Liguilla Semifinals Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We are entering the 2nd leg of the Clausura MX 2024 semifinals, and both matches\u00a0were marked\u00a0by a severe lack of goals and clear scoring opportunities.\u00a0The teams were more worried\u00a0to evade a slip than to define\u00a0the series early, and\u00a0only one goal was scored\u00a0between the two games.

Our current focus is, precisely, on the semifinal in which one team has an advantage. The second leg will be on Sunday and pits Cruz Azul and Monterrey at the Ciudad de los Deportes\u00a0Stadium,\u00a0after their first encounter ended up 0-1 thanks to a goal by Carlos Rotondi for La Maquina.

One team was a clear favorite at the beginning of the season, while the other has been one of the surprises of this Liga MX season. However,\u00a0it’s the latter that\u00a0comes with the upper hand and will define at home.

When:\u00a0<\/strong>

Sunday, May 19, 8:00 pm ET at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes<\/em>

Moneyline odds:\u00a0<\/strong>

Cruz Azul 2.54<\/em>

Monterrey 2.61<\/em>

Draw Offs:\u00a0<\/strong>

3.42<\/em>

Where can I watch it?\u00a0<\/strong>

TUDN USA<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Bet on Cruz Azul?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cruz Azul scored a single goal somewhat early in the first match. They had only 41% possession but managed to keep Monterrey at bay to maintain this lead towards the 2nd match.\u00a0<\/strong>Now they will be playing as hosts\u00a0so\u00a0it is likely they will\u00a0try to do the same to achieve these results.

La Maquina\u00a0comes from also\u00a0taking advantage as visitors in their previous series.\u00a0That time, it was 0-2 against Pumas, and they advanced with a 4-2 aggregate score.\u00a0<\/strong>The issue is that they suffered a lot in the second leg, even if it was at home. They should have lost that game except for a late goal by Faraveli, and if\u00a0they approach this game with the same attitude, they’ll have a hard time against a team as aggressive as Monterrey.

Cruz Azul cleaned its image as a club accustomed to doing bottle jobs following its success in the Clausura 2021. Indeed, they have failed to build on that, having some of their worst campaigns in recent memory since that title, but they\u00a0are still a team accustomed to being champions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Bet on Monterrey?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Monterrey managed to get more chances to attack during the first leg, getting eighth corners through the match and having the most possession of the ball. However, they only had three shots on target.<\/strong>

Rayados needs to push Cruz Azul’s limits like Pumas did days ago. They have the tools and the approach to do so\u00a0but must\u00a0be careful, as they face an extremely dangerous rival in\u00a0terms of\u00a0counterattacking.

Even as visitors, the odds do them some favor, so it’s clear that the team keeps being a strong candidate even with the score against them.\u00a0They already know what it means to win as visitors in this Liguilla, beating Tigres 1-2.\u00a0<\/strong>However, that same result won’t be\u00a0of use, considering that, as said many times before, a draw in the aggregate score would take them out, considering Cruz Azul was higher in the regular season table (second).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Betting Analysis:\u00a0Cruz Azul vs. Monterrey<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tano Ortiz, the young DT from Monterrey, has a date with history and, more importantly, against himself.\u00a0The Argentinian has a short story in Mexico, but since\u00a0having the reign of Am\u00e9rica in 2022, he has reached a whooping six semifinals (counting this one), losing all the previous ones.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n