When it seemed that Cruz Azul would have serious problems solving their striker shortage, Nigerian Christian Ebere suddenly started and became the catalyst for victory in the first leg of the playoffs Cruz Azul's 3-2 victory over Atlas at Estadio Jalisco. The African player's appearance revitalized Cruz Azul's attack with power and speed that tested Atlas' Argentine defenders Rodrigo Adrian Schlegel and Manuel Capasso, as well as Brazilian Gustavo Henrique Ferrareis, becoming a constant headache for them. Simply put, the Nigerian player's mobility was pure poison for Atlas in the first half. He hampered them, pressured them relentlessly, and outpaced them. Had it not been for his technical shortcomings in the final third, he would have scored at least two more goals for Cruz Azul than the first two in the first half, scored by Argentine Carlos Rodolfo Rotondi and the African himself. The scoreline would have been much more comfortable for a Cruz Azul side that looked dominant in the first 45 minutes. Camilo Vargas, for that reason, had They had to work hard to prevent their goal from being battered by the Nigerian's strength and the skill of Jose Paradela, as well as the drive of Carlos Rotondi, who, along with Agustin Palavicino, Omar Campos, and Carlos Rodriguez, provided the necessary contribution for the Sky Blues to dominate the first half.

Sky Blue's Mistakes

But the second half arrived, and Cruz Azul showed the side that has always plagued them: overconfidence, the inability to finish off their opponents, and the creation of dramas like tonight's in the packed Jalisco Stadium, where the Red and Blacks recovered with goals from Diego Gonzalez and Aldo Rocha from a penalty disputed for an apparent foul by the Argentine Gonzalo Piovi.

This 2-2 tie led Cruz Azul to try to calm things down and get Atlas to stop the pressure on their goal, and they succeeded when, in a shot in the area,Argentine Rodrigo Adrian Schlege pulled Colombian Willer Ditta's arm, resulting in a penalty kick which Nigerian Ebere cleanly converted to seal Cruz Azul's victory.