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Cruz Azul ended a 23-year wait to be crowned Mexican league champions after beating Santos Laguna 2-1 on aggregate.
The Mexico City-based club went into the final leading 1-0 from Thursday’s opening leg and managed to hold on for a 1-1 draw at the Azteca stadium on Sunday to clinch their ninth league title and a first since 1997.
Cruz Azul fans were made to suffer after being after being runners-up 11 times, and Mexican president Andrew Manuel Lopez Obrador said in a tweet: “Congratulations to Cruz Azul, the spell is over…”
Diego Valdes put Santos ahead in the 37th minute and the goal forced the hosts to change their defensive approach and go in search of the equaliser. Luis Romo was close to levelling the score before half-time, but his effort was kept out by Santos goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo.
C A M P E O N E S 💙
LLEGÓ LA NOVENA. pic.twitter.com/9iccQrgrGR
— CRUZ AZUL (@CruzAzul) May 31, 2021
Cruz Azul did equalise in the 50th minute when substitute Yoshimar Yotun, who had entered the game after the interval, set up Jonathan Rodriguez following a fast counter-attack and the Uruguayan forward struck past Acevedo for the goal which ultimately gave them the long-awaited title.
Cruz Azul boss Juan Reynoso has now won the title as both a player and a coach: “I’m grateful for entering the history of this club,” he said. “I have a title as a player and now as a coach and that’s no small thing.”
Goalkeeper Jesus Corona, 40, was finally able to celebrate after he had failed on three previous attempts when reaching the final. “I started trying 18 years ago, 12 years in the team and now at 40, finally, we’ve arrived,” he said.
“It’s been tough, and it was time that we got to enjoy something good. It’s well deserved, and this is for our fans and for all of us that have had to put up with a lot of criticism. That made us stronger.”