After winning their respective groups with unbeaten records, Sporting KC and Cruz Azul will collide in the quarterfinals of the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League in March. Ahead of the home-and-away match-up, SportingKC.com will be providing regular updates on La Máquina as part of the site's CCL Crash Course series. Want to know more about the tournament? Check out our 2013-14 CCL Guide.
Six weeks into the 2014 Clausura in Liga MX, Cruz Azul (5-0-1) are the only team without a loss and head coach Luis Fernando Tena's side is showing no signs of slowing down. La Máquina earned a 4-1 road victory at Atlante on Sunday for their fifth straight win of the campaign and a three-point lead atop the Mexican soccer standings.
The successful start comes despite Cruz Azul playing only two of their first six games at home, while also dealing with injuries to key players including captain Gerardo Torrado, Christian Giménez, Gerardo Flores and Achille Emana. All four players represented their countries in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying but have been limited in contributions for Cruz Azul to start the World Cup year.
Sunday's match was the team's first of the season without Torrado, whose foot injury will not require surgery but is expected to sideline the three-time World Cup veteran for the next 3-5 weeks. In his absence, the league leaders were boosted by the return of Gimenez (13 goals, 8 assists in 2013), who entered as a halftime substitute after missing each of the club's last three fixtures, and the presence of Emana (4 goals in 2013-14 CCL group stage) in the gameday 18 for the first time this year.
Marco Fabián scored twice to lead the way for Cruz Azul at Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo, and the on-loan striker was joined by Joao Rojas and Mauro Formica on the scoresheet. Fabián and Formica are now tied for the team-lead with three goals each, good for third most among all Liga MX players during the Clausura.
Cruz Azul's first of four goals on the night came in the game's opening minute. Formica picked out Fabián, making a late run into the area, to set up the first-time finish from the top of the six-yard box.
Atlante recovered and pulled level in the 34th minute with just the second goal conceded by Cruz Azul in 2014. Luis Venegas' cross from the right flank was headed by Alejandro Vela at the penalty spot and then volleyed by Ángel Sepúlveda at the far post.
The second half would belong entirely to Cruz Azul as the visitors struck two minutes into the new stanza. Rojas won the ball back to spark the scoring sequence and immediately sprinted toward goal, putting himself in prime position to receive the ball from Mariano Pavone. Rojas split two defenders with a controlled first touch and buried his left-footed shot past Éder Patiño on the second touch for the game-winner.
Fabián would have to wait until the 82nd minute to net his second goal but the brace nearly came in the 64th minute. His shot struck the crossbar from close range, however Formica was alert in the area and headed in the rebound to double Cruz Azul's advantage.
The scoring was capped off with under 10 minutes to play as Cruz Azul captitalized on another header for their seventh headed goal of the season. Pavone received the ball inside the 18-yard box with his back to goal but quickly turned and crossed for Fabián. The 5'7 striker outjumped 6'1 Venegas for the aerial duel inside the goalmouth and recorded his first two-goal performance in nearly a year.
On the defensive end, Jesús Corona made a season-high seven saves as Cruz Azul handed Atlante (1-3-2) their first home defeat since October. Cruz Azul will now host Puebla (1-2-3) at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday, live on Univision in the United States.
