Cruz Azul missed a penalty in the first half but converted another in the complement to beat Puebla 2-1 at home on Friday, thereby consolidating itself as leader of the Liga MX, a position in which it will remain after the twelfth round.
The 10 minutes of injury time granted by referee Mario Terrazas in the first half yielded a goal for each team. The Greek Giorgos Giakoumakis put the visitors ahead in the fourth minute of compensation, with a header and a corner kick from the Argentine Gonzalo Piovi.
The Puebla squad equalized three minutes later, when Luis Quiñones took advantage of a gift from the capital team, which lost a ball at the start. The Colombian advanced towards the crescent and fired a left-footed shot into the corner of the goal defended by Kevin Mier.
Terrazas awarded a penalty for a handball by the newly admitted Sebastián Olmedo. Argentine Carlos Rotondi scored from the spot in the 71st minute.
Jorge Sánchez had squandered a first penalty at 27, after a foul that goalkeeper Miguel Jiménez committed on Giakoumakis and which was punished after consulting with the VAR.
La Maquina reached 31 points, six ahead of Toluca, its closest pursuer, which also won a victory in Friday’s activity.
The Red Devils won 1-0 on their visit to Querétaro, with a goal from Paulinho in first-half stoppage time. The Portuguese has scored in three consecutive Liga MX matches, with good individual action.
Jesús Gallardo attempted a half-turned shot from outside the area but sent the ball directly towards Paulinho, who was near the penalty spot. Somehow, the Portuguese managed to redirect the ball so that it rose and scored with a volley to beat goalkeeper Guillermo Allison.
The Querétaro team is second to last in the competition with nine points.
Also with nine points but in 14th place is Mazatlán, which rescued a goalless draw in its visit to Atlas, located in eighth place with 18 units.
In another duel, Tijuana provisionally climbed to fourth place, with a 2-1 victory on the Necaxa court.
Those led by Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio took the lead with a penalty converted by his compatriot Christian Rivera at 28 minutes, six minutes before Necaxa equalized through Argentine José Paradela, also from the 11th minute.
Kevin Castañeda gave the Xolos the victory with a long right-footed shot in the 43rd minute.
