Controversial Atlas Goal
In the 30th minute of the first half, Atlas launched a play from the right flank. The Cape Verdean Duk controlled the ball to the touchline, beat Omar Chagoya, and delivered a cross that Edgar Saldívar finished accurately, beating Kevin Mier. When shooting, Saldívar grabbed his marker, Jeremy Márquez, with both arms, giving him a jump advantage and creating a ‘banquito’ effect. Cruz Azul players demanded the goal be overturned, and the infraction was shown on broadcast, but neither the central referee nor the VAR detected any action that warranted nullifying the goal. The score remained 0-1 in favor of Atlas.
Reaction of Guillermo Pacheco
Central referee Guillermo Pacheco Larios again found himself at the center of controversy, after his previous matches where he awarded contentious penalties. Despite the potential foul, Pacheco maintained an acceptable pace of play and controlled the 22 players who attempted to claim a foul or protest a wrong decision.
Atlas Seeks Advantage
After the goal, Atlas pushed to widen the lead. They reached Camilo Vargas’s goal on several occasions, but the ball missed two key chances. Additionally, Chiquete Orozco missed a corner, a mid‑range shot went wide, and Nico Ibáñez missed his attempt. In the final minute of the first half, Argentine Florián Monzón scored the second goal, putting the score at 0-2 before the break.
Final Result
The match ended with Atlas defeating Cruz Azul 2-0, leaving the cementeros at a disadvantage after the controversy surrounding the first goal.
The final score was 0-2 in favor of Atlas.
