Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
Tigres
Cruz Azul
In the early hours of Thursday, April 24, the first semifinal match of the CONCACAF Champions Cup will take place, featuring UANL Tigres against Cruz Azul. The match kicks off at 4:00 AM Central European Time, and I suggest a bet on the match total.
UANL Tigres vs Cruz Azul: match facts and head-to-head encounters
- UANL Tigres are on a six-match unbeaten run — three wins and three draws.
- Cruz Azul's unbeaten streak is even longer — 14 matches.
- At home, Tigres have won their last six matches and suffered just one defeat in 2025.
- Cruz Azul's last three away games ended in draws.
- In 77% of matches, Cruz Azul scores more than 1.5 goals, while Tigres do so in 64% of their games.
- Cruz Azul wins without conceding more often: 36% of matches compared to Tigres' 26%.
- Only 5% of Cruz Azul's matches this season ended in defeat without scoring, while UANL Tigres have this figure at 19%.
- The previous meeting between these teams ended with a Tigres victory, 2-1. In their last five encounters, Tigres have won three times, while Cruz Azul has also won three, considering all head-to-head meetings.
UANL Tigres vs Cruz Azul: match preview
This is a clash between two Mexican teams who are neck and neck in the Liga MX standings. UANL Tigres and Cruz Azul have both amassed 33 points, occupying third and fourth places respectively. They trail the second spot by one point and the leader by four. Both teams have already secured their spots in the Clausura quarterfinals, allowing them to focus on the Champions Cup.
As for the tournament itself, UANL Tigres defeated Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 in the previous round, having previously overcome Cincinnati 4-2 and started their campaign with a commanding 5-2 victory over Motagua. Cruz Azul, in the first round, outplayed Esteli 3-1, then thrashed Seattle Sounders 4-1 and narrowly edged Club America 2-1. Thus, we are set for a Mexican derby in the semifinals of this prestigious trophy.
Probable lineups
- UANL Tigres: Guzman, Lorona, Sanchez, Angulo, Romulus, Parra, Lainez, Brunetta, Gorriaran, Ibanez, Antuna
- Cruz Azul: Cerda, Orozco, Sanchez, Ditta, Lira, Faravelli, Gutierrez, Rotondi, Gora, Rosemary, Fernandez
Prediction
The first game promises to be cautious. In the previous round, both teams played to a goalless draw in the first match and settled everything in the second. Therefore, history might repeat itself. My bet is on a total under 2.5 with odds of 1.64.
