Cruz Azul ضد Chivas — Liga MX

**Cruz Azul 2-2 Chivas**

**What set this match apart:** This was a fairly ordinary match with a few distinctive traits (60% of matches were more unusual than this one). The most striking feature was the volume of long-range attempts, with both teams recording 16 shots from distance (96th percentile of the two teams' joint volume), and Chivas making 10 to Cruz Azul's 6 (86th percentile of gaps). The unusualness of the game was primarily driven by the build-up (35%) and the attacking actions (24%). While both sides were active, they did so with a relatively low volume of accurate long balls (40 in total, 13th percentile of the two teams' joint volume) and few passes in the opponent's half (225 in total, 16th percentile of the two teams' joint volume).

**How it played out:** Chivas took a more patient approach in their own half, completing 168 passes compared to Cruz Azul's 75 (85th percentile of gaps), even though the match saw few passes in the defensive third overall (243 in total, 11th percentile of the two teams' joint volume). Cruz Azul, meanwhile, was more active in the air, winning 30 aerial duels to Chivas's 16 (98th percentile of gaps). This physical presence was mirrored by a high volume of blocked shots (10 in total, 95th percentile of joint volume) and clearances (52 in total, 85th percentile of joint volume), with Chivas making 32 to Cruz Azul's 20 (74th percentile of gaps). Cruz Azul also found more success in one-on-one situations, recording 8 successful dribbles to Chivas's 4 (81st percentile of gaps). In the final third, Chivas created 3 big chances to Cruz Azul's 2 (70th percentile of gaps), while Cruz Azul was clearly ahead in the corner count, making 6 to Chivas's 1 (86th percentile of gaps) in a game with few corners overall (7 in total, 12th percentile of joint volume).

**Verdict:** The fair probabilities are Cruz Azul win 22%, draw 47%, and Chivas win 31%. The performances pointed to a draw (47%), and that is what happened. With Chivas creating 3 big chances to Cruz Azul's 2, the result was a balanced reflection of the match's flow.