Apertura 2018 Copa MX Final

The Apertura 2018 Copa MX Final was the final of the Apertura 2018 Copa MX, the thirteenth edition of the Copa MX under its current format and 80th overall organized by the Mexican Football Federation, the governing body of association football in Mexico.

Apertura 2018 Copa MX Final
EventApertura 2018 Copa MX
Date31 October 2018 (2018-10-31)[1]
VenueEstadio BBVA Bancomer, Guadalupe, Nuevo León
RefereeFernando Guerrero
Attendance49,764
WeatherMostly Cloudy
72 °F (22 °C)
88% humidity[2]

The final was contested in a single leg format between Liga MX clubs Monterrey and Cruz Azul.[1] The match was hosted by Monterrey at Estadio BBVA Bancomer in the Monterrey suburb of Guadalupe on 31 October 2018. The winners earned a spot to face the winners of the Clausura 2019 in the 2019 Supercopa MX.

Qualified teams

Team Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)[3]
Monterrey 4 (1964, 1969, 1992, Apertura 2017)
Cruz Azul 5 (1969, 1974, 1988, 1997, Clausura 2013)

Venue

Estadio BBVA Bancomer hosted the final

Due to the tournament's regulations, the higher seed among both finalists during the group stage will host the final, thus Estadio BBVA Bancomer hosted the final.[4] The venue which opened on 2 August 2015 is the newest venue in Liga MX and has been home to Monterrey since the Apertura 2015 season.[5] The venue has previously hosted two Liga MX finals (Clausura 2016 and Apertura 2017) and one Copa MX final (Apertura 2017).[6][7][8]

Background

Monterrey has won the tournament twice while Cruz Azul has won it three times.[3] Before reaching this final, the last time Monterrey reached a reached a final of any kind was the previous December when they defeated Pachuca 1–0 to capture the Apertura 2017 Copa MX.[8] Cruz Azul last reached a final back in 2014 where they defeated Toluca 1–1 (on away goals) in the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League final.[9]

These two clubs last faced each other in a final back in 2009 when Monterrey won 6–4 on aggregate to capture the Apertura 2009 league title.[10] The clubs also faced each other in the 1969 Copa México Final where Cruz Azul came out victorious.[3]

Monterrey won three, drew once, lost none and scored nine goals during group stage, as they were seeded third. They eliminated Zacatepec in the Round of 16, Querétaro in the quarterfinals, and Pachuca in the semifinals.

Cruz Azul won two, drew one, lost one and scored seven goals during group stage, as they were seeded ninth. They defeated Tijuana in the Round of 16, Juárez in the quarterfinals, and León on penalty kicks in the semifinals.

Road to the finals

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first.

Monterrey Round Cruz Azul
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
Puebla 2–1 (H) Matchday 1 Zacatepec 3–2 (A)
Venados 3–0 (A) Matchday 2 Atlas 2–2 (H)
Puebla 1–1 (A) Matchday 3 Zacatepec 2–0 (H)
Venados 3–2 (H) Matchday 4 Atlas 0–1 (A)
Group 1 winners
Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Monterrey 4 10
2 Puebla 4 7
3 Venados 4 0
Source: Copa MX
Final standings Group 6 winners
Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Cruz Azul 4 7
2 Zacatepec 4 6
3 Atlas 4 4
Source: Copa MX
Opponent Result Knockout stage Opponent Result
Zacatepec 4–2 (H) Round of 16 Tijuana 2–1 (A)
Querétaro 1–0 (H) Quarterfinals Juárez 2–0 (H)
Pachuca 3–3 (4–3 pen.) (H) Semifinals León 1–1 (5–4 pen.) (H)

Match

Monterrey0–2Cruz Azul
Report
Attendance: 49,764
Referee: Fernando Guerrero
Monterrey[11][12]
Cruz Azul[11][12]
GK22 Juan Pablo Carrizo
DF17 Jesús Gallardo
DF23 Johan Vásquez 56' 56'
DF15 José María Basanta (c) 65'
DF21 Jesús Molina
DF288 Eric Cantú
MF16 Celso Ortiz 48'
MF29 Carlos Rodríguez
FW286 Daniel Lajud 57'
FW7 Rogelio Funes Mori
FW8 Dorlan Pabón
Substitutions:
GK1 Marcelo Barovero
DF6 Edson Gutiérrez
DF11 Leonel Vangioni
MF284 Axel Grijalva 65'
FW18 Avilés Hurtado 56'
FW19 Luis Madrigal
FW20 Rodolfo Pizarro 57'
Manager:
Diego Alonso
GK12 Guillermo Allison
DF16 Adrián Aldrete
DF2 Pablo Aguilar
DF5 Igor Lichnovsky 19'
DF4 Julio César Domínguez (c)
MF23 Iván Marcone
MF8 Javier Salas
MF14 Misael Domínguez 79'
MF25 Roberto Alvarado
MF11 Elías Hernández 66'
FW9 Milton Caraglio 46'
Substitutions:
GK1 José de Jesús Corona
DF19 Antonio Sánchez 79'
DF27 José Madueña
DF342 Jorge Luis García
MF17 Édgar Méndez 66'
MF22 Rafael Baca
FW7 Martín Cauteruccio 46'
Manager:
Hélder Baptista[note 1]

Assistant referees:
Marcos Quintero
Israel Valenciano
Fourth official:
Alejandro Funk

Broadcasters

Country Free Pay Ref
MexicoAzteca 7
Canal 5
ESPN 2
Fox Sports 2
Izzi
TDN
UnivisionTDN
[14][15]
United StatesFox Deportes

Notes

  1. Cruz Azul manager Pedro Caixinha was suspended three matches after an altercation with the officials during the Round of 16 match against Tijuana.[13]

References

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