MIAMI, Florida – The 2022 Liga MX Clausura kicked off over the weekend and 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League participants Cruz Azul could not have asked for a better start with a 2-0 win over Club Tijuana at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
It looked like the two teams would head to the halftime dressing rooms locked in a scoreless draw, but Cruz Azul had other plans.
New arrival Carlos Rodriguez, who won the 2021 SCCL with Monterrey, scored his first goal in a Cruz Azul shirt by turning in a header off a pinpoint Adrian Aldrete cross in the 43’ for a 1-0 lead.
The home side looked to add to their lead in the second half and they found their second score in the 66’ thanks to a moment of magic from Rafael Baca.
A throw-in was played into Bryan Angulo, who flicked a header forward to Baca and from there the 32-year-old MF did the rest, taking a touch before sending a right-footed rocket over the head of Club Tijuana GK Jonathan Orozco and into goal to complete the 2-0 scoreline.
The three other 2022 SCCL participants from Liga MX were not in action over the weekend, as Club Leon are set to open their season on Saturday versus Club Tijuana, Pumas play Monday night against Toluca and Santos Laguna square off against Tigres on Wednesday.
Other action in Liga MX saw 2021 SCCL champions Monterrey draw 0-0 at home with Queretaro, seven-time Concacaf Champions Club America battled to a 1-1 draw with Puebla, with Salvador Reyes Chaves scoring for Las Aguilas and Maximiliano Araujo for Puebla, and Chivas used three goals in the final six minutes of the first half to down Mazatlan, 3-0. Angel Zaldivar, Alan Torres and Alexis Vega scored for Guadalajara.
