Guillermo Martínez executes a bicycle kick to score the game-tying goal against defending Liga MX champions Atlas in minute 90+5. (Photo by Agustin Cuevas/Getty Images)
Atlas and Puebla settled for a draw Friday night, leaving the door open for Cruz Azul to climb to the top of the Liga MX table.
The Cementeros today host a stumbling Necaxa side that just fired its coach but “La Máquina” has internal problems of its own.
Meanwhile at the bottom of the table, perennial title favorite América is scrambling to avoid sinking into last place. That’s right! The mighty Aguilas are a loss to Santos Laguna away from being the worst team in Liga MX.
Also Saturday, the Chivas are trying to maintain some momentum when the Tigres come roaring into town, while mid-table Toluca hosts an Atlético de San Luis franchise that is hoping new coach André Jardine can work some of his Olympic magic.
Late wonder goal denies Liga MX champs 3 road points
The Puebla-Atlas game figured to be the marquee game of Matchday 5, but it turned into a slog, both teams displaying smothering defense. The host Camoteros had the better of the first half, hitting the Zorros on the counter and forcing two tough saves from Atlas keeper Camilo Vargas.
At the other end of the pitch, Atlas could not get a sniff at goal and a scoreless draw seemed to be in the works, especially as the Liga MX champs looked skittish up front and hesitant carrying out of the back.
Early in the second half, VAR made its presence felt. After a lengthy delay, Puebla saw a brilliant, lashing strike erased due to a foul that had caused the turnover leading directly to the goal.
Minutes later, VAR summoned Víctor Cáceres to look at the video screen and the young ref made the obvious call – penalty against Puebla. Julio Furch stepped up … and sent a low shot directly at Antony Silva and the game remained scoreless.
With time running, Atlas forward Julián Quiñones outmuscled Diego de Buen to give Atlas the lead. Edgar Zaldívar sent a lovely pass into the left channel, where Quiñones ran it down. The Colombian then held off De Buen’s attempt to force him wide, shielding the ball as he rounded the Puebla defender before zipping a left-footer into the roof of the net, giving Atlas a 1-0 lead in minute 85.
The Zorros seemed certain to rise to the top of the table as they were the stingiest defense in Liga MX last season and had conceded only 2 goals through four matches in the Clausura 2022.
But as the clock reached 90+5, three Puebla subs combined to find the equalizer.
George Corral hoisted a long, desperate throw-in into the box, Kevin Ramírez prolonged it with his noggin, then Guillermo Martínez slowed it down with his forehead then rapidly ripped a bicycle kick past the stunned Vargas. The Estadio Cuauhtémoc crowd erupted in jubilation.
The two squads now sit atop the Liga MX table with 11 points, awaiting the outcome of Saturday’s Cruz Azul-Necaxa match and Monday’s Pachuca-Querétaro contest. Cruz Azul has 10 points while Pachuca has 9 points.
giving Atlas a 1-0 lead in minute 85</a>.</p>
<p>The Zorros seemed certain to rise to the top of the table as they were the stingiest defense in Liga MX last season and had conceded only 2 goals through four matches in the Clausura 2022.</p>
<p>But as the clock reached 90+5, <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/12/liga-mx-atlas-puebla-cruz-azul-crisis/"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev6vFj3Q68I%22>three Puebla subs combined to find the equalizer</a>.</p>
<p>George Corral hoisted a long, desperate throw-in into the box, Kevin Ramírez prolonged it with his noggin, then Guillermo Martínez slowed it down with his forehead then rapidly ripped a bicycle kick past the stunned Vargas. The Estadio Cuauhtémoc crowd erupted in jubilation.</p>
<p>The two squads now sit atop the Liga MX table with 11 points, awaiting the outcome of Saturday’s Cruz Azul-Necaxa match and Monday’s Pachuca-Querétaro contest. Cruz Azul has 10 points while Pachuca has 9 points.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/12/liga-mx-atlas-puebla-cruz-azul-crisis/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Cruz Azul in turmoil </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_491118" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-491118" src=https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/12/liga-mx-atlas-puebla-cruz-azul-crisis/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1366142051-850x560.jpeg" alt="Liga MX M5 1" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Cruz Azul coach Juan Reynoso offered to resign Friday night after three top executives were dismissed in a shocking move that is still not fully understood. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
</div>
<h3>Cementeros front office sacked, Reynoso weighs his future</h3>
<p>As the Cruz Azul management team was earning plaudits after overhauling a roster that won the Liga MX title only eight months ago, there were rumblings from within and without. The result was the dismissal of team president Álvaro Dávila and two other executives, a move that prompted coach Juan Reynoso to submit his resignation.</p>
<p>Apparently Reynoso has reconsidered his hasty reaction – the Peruvian manager has been at odds with general manager Jaime Ordiales since he was hired, a decision that Ordiales allegedly opposed. So Cruz Azul expects to have its coach on the sidelines for tonight’s game against Necaxa with a chance to move into first place.</p>
<p>The cataclysmic front office shuffle is a complicated mess related to the restructuring of the club’s management team dating back to the disappearance of team president Guillermo Álvarez (now a fugitive from justice, facing embezzlement and money-laundering charges).</p>
<p>It is not entirely clear who is in charge and for how long. Despite this, Ordiales arranged a <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/12/liga-mx-atlas-puebla-cruz-azul-crisis/"https://www.espn.com.mx/futbol/mexico/nota/_/id/9907491/cruz-azul-juan-escobar-reovacion-contrato-tres-temporadas">contract extension for Paraguayan defender Juan Escobar</a> who is now tied to the Cementeros through for another three years.</p>
<p>The situation in La Noria will take some time to shake out, but for now Cruz Azul fans will hope the team can focus on the games. The players have closed ranks around Reynoso and they’ll try to ignore the crisis happening upstairs.</p>
<p>It should help that “La Máquina” faces Necaxa tonight as the Rayos feature a roster that was knee-capped by the sale of its best player (Alejandro Zendejas) just before the third game of the season.</p>
<p>Coach Pablo Guede was the fall guy, getting axed after a bad 3-1 home loss to Pachuca last weekend. In comes Jaime Lozano, the man who led El Tri to Olympic bronze last summer. Lozano might not be on the Estadio Azteca sideline, however, since he had not cleared Covid protocols as of Friday night.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/12/liga-mx-atlas-puebla-cruz-azul-crisis/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Elsewhere in Liga MX ... </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_491119" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-491119" src=https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/12/liga-mx-atlas-puebla-cruz-azul-crisis/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1369666763-850x560.jpeg" alt="Liga MX M5 1" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Alexis Vega led 10-man Guadalajara to a 3-1 road win at FC Juárez on Wednesday. (Photo by Alejandro Rodriguez/Jam Media/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
</div>
<h3>Chivas host Tigres in early-season Liga MX showdown</h3>
<p>The Chivas are coming off an inspirational comeback road win against FC Juárez. After falling behind in minute 7, Guadalajara was gifted an own-goal just before the half and figured to have momentum against the lowly Bravos.</p>
<p>That all changed when Chivas defender Gilberto Sepúlveda was shown a red card in minute 53. That’s when Alexis Vega came to the rescue. The elusive winger fired his team ahead in minute 83 then stole the ball along the sideline, circled deep down the left side and zipped a cross right onto the foot of Jesús Angulo and Guadalajara had a 3-1 victory.</p>
<p>The Most Popular Team in Liga MX will host the Tigres who are coming off a 4-3 win over Mazatlán FC. The victory hoisted Miguel Herrera’s men into sixth place in the Liga MX table, one spot behind the Chivas. Both teams have 7 points but Guadalajara has the better goal differential.</p>
<p>In Saturday’s nightcap, América’s Santiago Solari will be coaching to keep his job when the Aguilas play host to last place Santos Laguna. Both teams have just 1 point but the Guerreros’ –6 goal differential has them in the Liga MX cellar.</p>
<p>Solari must jump-start his offense while dealing with a frustrated locker room growing out of the coach’s line-up juggling. A few veterans – notably defender Bruno Valdez and forward Federico Viñas – are not getting the playing time they believe they deserve and team morale is sagging.</p>
<p>Ownership has reportedly informed Solari that he has until next Sunday (a midweek match at FC Mazatlán before a visit from Pachuca) to correct the team’s flaws or he’s gone.</p>
<p>In Saturday’s matinee, André Jardine will make his Liga MX debut for the host Tuneros as they take on Toluca. Jardine led Brazil to Olympic gold (beating Lozano and El Tri in the semifinals) and he took the Atlético de San Luis job 10 days and watched from the stands last weekend as the Tuneros stunned América 3-2.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Liga MX coaches on the hot seat" data-url="https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/08/liga-mx-coaches-spotlight-wrong-reasons/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/12/liga-mx-atlas-puebla-cruz-azul-crisis/"https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/08/liga-mx-coaches-spotlight-wrong-reasons/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Liga MX coaches on the hot seat </a> </div>
</div>
<p>Toluca has not played since Jan. 21 as their Matchday 4 game was postponed due to <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/12/liga-mx-atlas-puebla-cruz-azul-crisis/"https://playingfor90.com/2022/02/05/club-world-cup-monterrey-upset/">Monterrey’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup.</a></p><!—pageview_candidate—>">