2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Semi Final: Can Cruz Azul Keep Their Cool?
by Tyler Doty
Cruz Azul: One Foot In the Finals
Cruz Azul will have the chance to close out the series at home, which gives them a slight edge. They’ve played the second leg at home in their last three series, and won all three: 5-0 against Real Hope, 4-1 over the Seattle Sounders, and 2-1 against Club América. But it’s not just that stat working in favor of head coach Vicente Sánchez and his squad. So far in 2025, Cruz Azul has stayed unbeaten at home, with 8 wins and 3 draws. Our Cruz Azul vs Tigres UANL prediction suggests a low-scoring game given the context of this matchup and the history of the two teams.
Tigres UANL Under Pressure to Score
The CONCACAF Champions Cup is one of the few tournaments in the world that still uses the away goals rule, and Cruz Azul capitalized on that in the first leg. That means a 0–0 draw in the second leg would be enough to send them to the final. As a result, Tigres are under pressure to score at least once in regulation, something that might be tough given their recent road form: three straight 0-0 draws (against Pachuca, Puebla, and LA Galaxy) and a 3-0 loss to Club América.
Because of this, top betting sites now favor Cruz Azul to reach the final, set for June 1.
First Leg Ended in a Draw, But the Visitors Looked Stronger
Although Cruz Azul took the lead with a goal from Argentine midfielder Carlos Rotondi in the 68th minute, Juan José Sánchez equalized late to keep the tie wide open heading into the second leg. Rotondi’s goal could prove crucial for Cruz Azul, since the away goals rule is still in effect in this competition.
Here’s a look at some key stats from the first 90 minutes:
| Stat Line | Tigres | Cruz Azul |
|---|---|---|
| Ball Possession | 48% | 52% |
| Total Shots | 7 | 10 |
| Shots On Target | 1 | 2 |
| Corner Kicks | 4 | 6 |
| Fouls | 9 | 20 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 2 |
The stats show that while the match was fairly balanced, with possession split 48% for the home team and 52% for the visitors, the momentum leaned in favor of the visitors. As reflected in the shot totals, the visitors created more dangerous chances. However, they also committed more than twice as many fouls as their opponents, something they'll need to clean up for the second leg.
The winner of this series will face either Inter Miami or the Vancouver Whitecaps (aggregate score 0–2), the other semifinalists in the tournament. Both are aiming for their first international title. The winner of that series will be decided 24 hours earlier, meaning that by the time the Mexican clubs face off, the finalist from the other bracket will already be known.
Match Information: Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL
- Date & Time: Thursday, May 1 at 9:00 PM ET
- Venue: Estadio Olímpico Universitario (capacity: 58,445 spectators)
- Referee: Canadian official Drew Fischer will oversee the second leg
- First Leg Result: 1–1 (Cruz Azul holds the away goal advantage)
