Cruz Azul defeated fellow Mexican club Pachuca 2-1 on Wednesday in
the first-leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final.
Argentine striker Emanuel Villa, formerly of Derby County,
gave Cruz Azul a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute, and an own-goal by
Carlos Gerardo Rodriguez made it 2-0 in the 23rd.
Pachuca scored what could be an important away goal in the
69th through Argentine midfielder Damian Alvarez.
The second leg will be on April 28 at Pachuca. Cruz Azul lost
last year's final to fellow Mexican club Atlante.
This is the fourth time in five seasons that it's been an
all-Mexico final. Pachuca has won two of the past three CONCACAF
Champions League titles. The winner advances to the Club World Cup.
Cruz Azul, considered one of Mexico's four largest clubs, is
the sentimental favorite.
In addition to losing last year's final to Atlante, Cruz Azul
has also lost three Mexican league finals in recent seasons. It
last won a major title 13 years ago, when it took both the Mexican
league title and the CONCACAF title.
Cruz Azul's manager this season is Enrique Meza, who coached
Pachuca to two of the past three CONCACAF titles.
Meza also coached Pachuca to the Copa Sudamerica title in
2006. Pacucha is the only Mexican team to win South America's top
club tournament.
