After winning their respective groups with unbeaten records, Sporting KC and Cruz Azul will collide in the quarterfinals of the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League in March. Ahead of the home-and-away match-up, SportingKC.com will be providing regular updates on La Máquina as part of the site's CCL Crash Course series. Want to know more about the tournament? Check out our 2013-14 CCL Guide.
Before Cruz Azul travels to Kansas City for the opening leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals on March 12, La Máquina first must maneuver the opening 10 matches of their Clausura campaign. Eight games into that task and La Máquina have answered the assignment in resounding fashion: No problemo.
Luis Fernando Tena led his side -- unchanged in the starting XI for the third consecutive week -- to a seventh straight win on Friday as right back Rogelio Chávez scored twice in a 3-1 road win at Querétaro. Cruz Azul (7-0-1) extends their lead atop the Liga MX standings and did so in one of the most difficult places to play in Mexico.
Prior to Friday, Querétaro (3-4-1) had not allowed a goal in their last five home regular season league matches and had not lost at Estadio Corregidora in the regular season since July 2013. Their unbeaten streak during the run stood at 12 games and appeared safe when the Gallos Blancos grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute through a Ricardo Jesus header off a free kick from William.
However, Cruz Azul responded from the penalty spot 10 minutes later after Marco Fabián's shot was blocked off the arm of Querétaro defender Mario Osuna. Chávez calmly converted the penalty kick by sending his shot above goalkeeper Édgar Hernández, who had guessed correctly to his right.
With the momentum shifted, Mauro Formica (pictured above) tallied the game-winning goal minutes before halftime. The Argentine struck a clinical half-volley past Hernández from the top of the penalty area on an assist from Fausto Pinto. Formica now has four goals on the season, tied for the team lead with Fabián and tied for third most in Liga MX.
Cruz Azul goalkeeper Jesús Corona -- named to Mexico's roster on Thursday for an international friendly against Nigeria on March 5 in Atlanta -- made all four of his saves on Friday in the second half and the score would remain deadlocked at 2-1 until the game's 89th minute when a throw-in from midfield turned into an unlikely third goal for Cruz Azul.
The restart from Chávez was headed back in his direction by Querétaro midfielder Dionicio Escalante, setting up Chávez for an audacious, arching attempt from beyond 50 yards that caught Hernández by surprise. The ball deflected off his hands and then the near post before rolling across the goalline to deliver the exclamation point on a superb start to the season that sees Cruz Azul lead Liga MX in both goals scored (17) and fewest goals conceded (3).
UNBEATEN IN NINE: Among the eight CCL quarterfinalists, Cruz Azul is now tied with the San Jose Earthquakes for the longest active unbeaten streak at nine games dating back to 2013. Panama's Árabe Unido is unbeaten in their last eight and plays Saturday at Independiente F.C.
Cruz Azul will now prepare for a showdown with second place Toluca, the last team to beat them in a 3-0 defeat during the Apertura playoffs. The match will air live on Univision in the United States (KUKC in Kansas City) at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 1 from Estadio Azul in Mexico City.
