Chivas and Cruz Azul Stalemate in a Tense Quarterfinal Opener
The first leg of the Liga MX Apertura 2025 quarterfinal between Chivas and Cruz Azul turned into one of those nights where tension filled every minute, but the goals simply refused to arrive. Inside Estadio Akron, with the crowd expecting a strong push from the home side, the match ended in a 0-0 draw that left both frustration and relief hanging in the air.
What really stood out was how Cruz Azul’s backup goalkeeper, Andrés Gudiño, stepped into the spotlight. He wasn’t even supposed to be the starter in this phase, but after Kevin Mier suffered a fractured right foot in the final match of the regular season, the responsibility was dropped onto Gudiño’s shoulders. And he handled it like a veteran. Throughout the first half, he made two crucial saves that essentially kept La Máquina alive in this tie. One of them came when Armando “La Hormiga” González cut inside the box with a brilliant move and fired what looked like a certain goal. Gudiño reacted instantly, stretching out to block it and silencing the stadium for a moment.
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A little later, Richard Ledesma tried his luck with a clean volley from outside the area, a shot that seemed destined to sneak inside the post. Again, Gudiño stepped in, punching the ball away with both hands in one of the most important plays of the night.
Chivas pushed early and created the best chances of the match, but once the second half arrived, Cruz Azul started showing signs of life. Ignacio Rivero managed to connect with a wide-open header, though it sailed over the crossbar and left Chivas breathing better for a moment. Not wanting to be outdone, Chivas keeper Raúl Rangel came up big near the end, denying Jeremy Márquez’s strong header to keep the sheet clean on both sides.
As it stands, the pressure shifts heavily onto Chivas for the second leg. Cruz Azul will return home knowing that another draw—no matter the score—would be enough to push them into the semifinals thanks to their higher finish in the regular-season standings. For Chivas, the mission is simple but tough: they must win on Sunday night, or their Liguilla run ends right here.
This result also keeps alive the storyline that has followed Chivas into this postseason—the so-called “curse” of finishing sixth in the short-tournament era of Liga MX, a position that has never produced a champion. Meanwhile, Cruz Azul continues to ride the confidence of having beaten Chivas three straight times in league play, including a 2-1 win earlier this season in the very same stadium.
Now everything comes down to the return match at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, where emotions, pressure, and expectations will collide once more—and where one of these two giants will finally take a step closer to the semifinal stage.
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