Cruz Azul kicked off their 2026 Liga MX Clausura campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Puebla at the Estadio Azteca on Wednesday morning. The Cementeros weathered an early storm from the visitors before turning the match around with two well-taken goals just before the interval and early in the second half.

Match Overview

Playing in front of a lively home crowd, Cruz Azul controlled possession for long stretches but found Puebla’s compact defence difficult to break down in the opening 20 minutes. The away side, managed by a pragmatic coach known for organised counters, took the lead against the run of play through a swift transition. However, the home side responded with patience and quality, levelling before half‑time and then striking the decisive blow shortly after the restart.

Key Moments

• 17' – Puebla strike first: A quick break from midfield caught Cruz Azul’s high line off guard. Winger Kevin Velasco drove into the left channel and slotted a low cross into the path of striker Luis García, who finished first‑time past goalkeeper Andrés Gudiño.
• 38' – Cruz Azul equalise: A corner kick from the right was headed clear only to fall to midfielder Erik Lira on the edge of the box. His deflected shot wrong‑footed the Puebla keeper and nestled into the bottom corner.
• 52' – Rotondi puts Cruz Azul ahead: Following a sustained spell of pressure, winger Carlos Rotondi collected a through‑ball from Ángel Romero, cut inside onto his right foot, and curled a beautiful shot into the far post.
• 89' – Puebla almost snatch a point: A deep free‑kick caused chaos in the box, but Gudiño produced a sharp save from close range to preserve the lead.

Tactical Story

Cruz Azul manager Martín Anselmi opted for a fluid 4‑3‑3 system, with Rotondi and Romero interchanging on the flanks to stretch Puebla’s back‑five. The home side’s full‑backs, especially Rodrigo Huescas, pushed high to create overloads, leaving them vulnerable to counter‑attacks but eventually wearing down the visitors’ defensive shape.

Puebla, by contrast, set up in a compact 5‑3‑2 and looked dangerous on the break. Early success came from bypassing midfield quickly, but as the first half wore on, their pressing intensity faded, allowing Cruz Azul’s midfield trio of Lira, Charly Rodríguez, and Ignacio Rivero to dominate possession. The winning goal came directly from a patient build‑up that forced Puebla’s wing‑backs too deep, leaving space for Rotondi’s run.

Standout Players

• Carlos Rotondi (Cruz Azul): The Argentine winger was a constant menace with his direct running and delivered the match‑winning strike. His movement off the ball created space for teammates and his defensive tracking also helped nullify Puebla’s left‑sided attacks.
• Erik Lira (Cruz Azul): The young midfielder scored the equaliser and completed over 90% of his passes. His ability to recycle possession and break lines with progressive passes was key to unlocking Puebla’s low block.
• Luis García (Puebla): The visiting striker took his goal well and held up play effectively in the first half, but faded as the match progressed due to a lack of service.

Table Impact

The victory gives Cruz Azul an ideal start in the Clausura, placing them joint‑top of the early standings with three points. Puebla, meanwhile, will rue a missed opportunity to take something from a tough away fixture. The result extends Cruz Azul’s unbeaten run in league matches at the Estadio Azteca to seven games, a record that will worry upcoming opponents.

Both teams now turn their attention to Matchday 2, with Cruz Azul travelling to face León while Puebla host Querétaro at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc.