PUEBLA (AP) — Nicolás Ibáñez celebrated his first goal against his former team to secure Cruz Azul’s 2-1 victory over Tigres on Sunday, giving La Maquina a jump to second place in the Liga MX Clausura tournament.
The Brazilian defender Joaquim opened the account with his own goal in the 56th minute, when he miscalculated a header, which surprised goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán at the start and slowly went into the goal.
Ibáñez, who has been with the light blues for just over a week after leaving the Tigres, increased the lead by sending Guzmán’s rebound into the net after a shot by Willer Dita in the 60th.
Between the two celestial goals, Carlos Rodríguez was close to scoring one more with a shot upon arrival in the area that hit the post.
Ángel Correa reduced the deficit in the 71st minute, after finishing with a low shot a filtered pass in the area that beat goalkeeper Andrés Gudiño.
Cruz Azul went five days without defeat (four wins and one draw) to reach 13 points, remaining only behind the leader Guadalajara, which has a full record of victories to have 18 points after having beaten América 1-0 on Saturday.
Next weekend, La Maquina will receive a visit from the undefeated Chivas at the Cuauhtémoc Stadium, where they are playing at home this season.
Tigres was left with 10 units in seventh position in the table.
Ibáñez played three years with Tigres before leaving prior to the closing of registrations for this tournament. In the middle of the week he made his debut as a light blue scorer in the resounding 5-0 victory over Vancouver FC, in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup series.
Until Correa’s goal, Tigres had been contained in the attacking zone, where it also had great brilliance in the middle of the week after beating Forge FC of the Canadian League 4-1 in the Concacaf tournament.
In the result with which the day ended, Mazatlán came back to beat Santos 2-1 and obtain its first points in the championship.
Facundo Almada, at 43 minutes, and Mauro Zaleta, at 53, scored the goals for the Mazatlan team, which is experiencing its last season in the first division. Lucas Di Yorio had put Santos ahead on the scoreboard in the 17th minute with a penalty kick.
Tournament positions
With the end of the 6th day, Chivas have 18 points; Blue Cross 13; Pumas and Toluca 12; Pachuca 11; Monterrey, Tigres and Atlas 10; Necaxa 9; America 8; San Luis and Tijuana 7; Puebla and Querétaro 5; Ciudad Juárez and León 4; Mazatlán 3 and Santos 1.
Next day
The seventh date will begin on Friday, February 20 with the games Tigres vs. Pachuca and Puebla vs. America; will continue on Saturday the 21st with Atlas vs. Saint Louis; Leon vs. Saints; Necaxa vs. Toluca; Blue Cross vs. Chivas and Tijuana vs. Mazatlan; The day will conclude on Sunday with the duels Pumas vs. Monterrey and Querétaro vs. Juarez City.
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