Cruz Azul’s Do-or-Die Match Against Seattle Sounders Tonight
Cruz Azul has a huge game coming up — like, make-or-break huge. They’re going head-to-head with the Seattle Sounders in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16. And honestly, there’s no room for mistakes here. If they want to move on to the quarterfinals, they have to win this one.
First Match Was a Bit of a Letdown
The first leg ended 0-0 over in the U.S., and yeah, that kind of result sounds boring, but it also means this second leg is super intense. Everything’s riding on this game now, and it’s happening in Mexico, at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. That should give Cruz Azul a bit of a boost, having their fans behind them and all. But here’s the catch — if Seattle manages to score even once, Cruz Azul’s job gets a whole lot tougher. An away goal could totally flip the pressure.
What Cruz Azul Needs to Do to Stay Alive
So here’s the situation in simple terms:
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If Cruz Azul wins — by any score — they go through.
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If it’s 0-0 again, we’re heading into extra time.
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If both teams score and it ends in a draw (like 1-1 or 2-2), Seattle goes through.
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If Seattle wins, obviously they move on.
It’s that simple — but also that stressful. Cruz Azul’s been struggling a bit with scoring lately, which makes this even more nerve-wracking. Their last real blowout win was way back on February 11, when they crushed Real Hope 5-0. Since then, their forwards — Giakoumakis, Toro Fernández, and Ángel Sepúlveda — haven’t really been on fire. They’re gonna need to find that spark again, and fast.
Who’s Starting? Here’s the Lineup
Both teams have locked in their starting XIs, and here’s who you’ll see on the pitch:
Cruz Azul Starting XI:
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Kevin Mier (GK)
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Jorge Sánchez
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Willer Ditta
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Gonzalo Piovi
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Erik Lira
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Carlos Rotondi
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Ignacio Rivero
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Carlos Rodríguez
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Lorenzo Faravelli
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Mateusz Bogusz
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Ángel Sepúlveda
Seattle Sounders Starting XI:
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Stefan Frei (GK)
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Yeimar Gómez
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Jackson Ragen
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Nouhou Tolo
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Alexander Roldán
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Obed Vargas
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Cristian Roldán
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Albert Rusnak
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Paul Arriola
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Jordan Morris
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Jesús Ferreira
It’s all set up for a high-pressure showdown. Honestly, if Cruz Azul doesn’t bring their A-game — especially in front of goal — they could be saying goodbye to their Concachampions hopes tonight.