Uruguayan coach Guillermo Almada’s Santos Laguna lost 1-0 to Puebla, but qualified for the final of the Clausura 2021 Mexican soccer tournament, which will be played against Cruz Azul.
With a goal from the Mexican-Peruvian Santiago Ormeño, the Puebla of the Argentine strategist Nicolás Larcamón prevailed, however, Santos won the series 3-1 and signed his pass to the title dispute.
Santos, who beat Puebla 3-0 last Thursday, came out to propose the game at his rival’s home and had the clearest goal play of the first half, a arrival in the area with everything in favor of Chilean Diego Valdés, who missed the header.
Puebla, in need of goals after having failed excessively to attack in the first leg, was impatient and the best they got in the first 45 minutes was a Chilean in the Ormeño area, cleared by Uruguayan Fernando Gorriarán.
Forced to score three times without conceding in 45 minutes, Puebla went on the attack in the second half.
In the 53rd minute, Ecuadorian Ayrton Preciado escaped in a Santos offensive and was stopped by defender George Corral. A minute later Puebla finally showed signs of life; Uruguayan Christian Tabó gave Ormeño an assist, who played left-handed to get the 1-0 that shocked the fans, delivered to Puebla.
With half an hour to play, Puebla burned their ships. He went on the attack at the risk of leaving spaces behind, which increased the emotions of the duel.
Puebla made changes to stimulate the attack, Santos responded with reinforcement of the defense and stopped the arrivals of the home team, with more desire than coordination in their desire to score.
10 minutes from the end, Larcamón asked the fans for a push. It was of little use, even when in the 84th minute Javier Salas prowled the area, in a play that ended with a shot from outside.
Santos controlled the rest of the duel with a defense led by the Brazilian Matheus Doria and the Ecuadorian Félix Torres, who stopped the momentum of the rivals, fighters, but with few ideas.
Frustrated, some Puebla players lost their concentration. One of them, forward Amaury Escoto, was sent off in the 96th minute.
In the final, Santos Laguna will host the Cruz Azul of Peruvian coach Juan Reynoso, in the first leg midweek, and will visit him in the return match at the weekend. EFE. (JL).