Cruz Azul and Santos Laguna played out a goalless draw in the Apertura seventh round of Liga MX on Saturday evening at Estadio Cuauhtémoc. The hosts controlled territory throughout but could not breach the visitors' defence despite creating more chances. Santos Laguna, still searching for their first victory of the campaign, held firm to secure a point away from home.
The match remained tight until the second half when Aldo Lopez received a yellow card for the visitors in the 50th minute. Both managers made several changes to try and shift the balance, with six substitutions coming in quick succession between the 61st and 87th minutes. Cruz Azul brought on Luka Romero, Rogelio Andrés González Román and L. Gómez together, while the visitors responded with Ángel Márquez and Nicolás Ibañez.
And here's the thing — the statistics tell a story of one-sided pressure. Cruz Azul enjoyed 62 per cent possession and registered 18 shots, eight on target, yet produced zero big chances. Their expected goals figure of 2.05 suggests they created reasonable opportunities, but the conversion rate was virtually non-existent. Santos Laguna offered little in attack, generating just 0.52 expected goals from one shot on target.
To be fair, the visitors' defensive organisation was commendable. They made 39 clearances compared to Cruz Azul's 12, and goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo had to make seven saves to keep his goal inviolate. The hosts dominated aerial duels with 12, though Santos won more of their 15 attempts. Cruz Azul's crosses reached 41, but only ten landed successfully.
By then, the result meant Cruz Azul remained 10th with nine points from six games, while Santos Laguna stayed rooted at the foot of the table in 17th place with just one point. The hosts had beaten Necaxa 3-1 in their previous outing, but this match offered no momentum. Santos' solitary point came from their 0-0 draw with Tigres UANL, and they now face another away fixture.
