Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas shone like in his best days at Real Madrid on Thursday to give Pumas UNAM a 0-0 draw against Cruz Azul in the first leg of the Mexican Clausura final.
At 39 years of age, the three-time World Cup winner showed he was in top form to dry up the repeated attacks of the Azules, who dominated the first 90 minutes of the final.
A spectacular performance
At their home stadium, coach Joel Huiquí’s Cruz Azul were superior in an opening half in which they harassed Pumas, but found Keylor Navas on an illuminating night.
Madrid’s hero at the end of the last decade recalled his best moments as a professional.
In the first half he saved three times for the universitarios, who were outplayed by their opponents.
Carlos Rodríguez, who is looking to convince Mexican coach Javier Aguirre to bring him into the team for the next World Cup, led the Celestes.
“Charly” appeared on the wings and created danger, but failed to score a goal.
Pumas came out to press in the second half, but soon found themselves outplayed.
In the 49th, Rodriguez hit the post and in the 55th Argentina’s Agustin Palavecino shot from behind.
But once again, he was met by the prodigious hands of Keylor Navas to save Pumas.
Pumas withstands Cruz Azul’s pressure
The coach of the universitarios, Efraín Juárez, insisted on not losing in order to decide the series at their stadium next Sunday.
It was a risky decision against an opponent with a good offensive arsenal, but it worked out well in the face of the Blue’s lack of goaltending.
Frustrated Cruz Azul fans chanted the homophobic shout that Mexican fans usually repeat when they feel frustrated.
To which the referee turned a deaf ear.
After an hour of hustle and bustle, Cruz Azul’s attackers began to show exhaustion.
In the 62nd minute Pumas created danger for the first time.
Uriel Antuna broke down the right flank and was one-on-one with Colombian goalkeeper Kevin Mier, who stopped the World Cup player’s attack.
Pumas close to glory and leave everything for the return leg
Everything will be decided in the second leg
QuéOnnda.com
In the 64th minute, Huiquí sent on Uruguay’s Gabriel Fernández for Nigeria’s Christian Ebere, an inconsequential substitution.
Cruz Azul continued to have the ball, but were not convincing.
Pumas came close to taking the lead in the 89th minute, when Paraguay’s Robert Morales hit the post after which the two sides signed an armistice.
On Sunday, the Pumas will host the Azules at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario to decide the title.
With information from EFE
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