Cruz Azul vs Monterrey Odds & Prediction – CONCACAF Champions League Semifinals Leg 2
- A berth in the CONCACAF Champions League final is at stake as Cruz Azul hosts Monterrey in the semifinal second leg action as betting favorites
- Monterrey claimed a 1-0 win in the first leg of this semifinal and has now earned at least a point in five of six dates with Cruz Azul
- We’ve got you covered with all the odds and trends ahead of Thursday night’s clash at Estadio Azteca
A berth in the final of this year’s CONCACAF Champions League will be on the line on Thursday with Cruz Azul vs Monterrey and Cruz Azul as +125 moneyline favorites. Monterrey drew first blood in this matchup with a narrow 1-0 victory in first leg action but has struggled to generate points on the road.
The club is winless in their past four away contests across all competitions and looks to Thursday’s clash as +225 road underdogs. La Maquina finds themselves desperately seeking offensive production as they seek their first trip to the final in seven years, but have avoided defeat in three straight home matches.
Cruz Azul vs Monterrey Champions League Odds
| Matchup | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cruz Azul vs Monterrey | CRU -0.5 (+120) | MON +0.5 (-165) ( | CRU +125 | Draw +220 | MON +225 | Ov 2.5 (+120) | Un 2.5 (-165) |
Odds as of Sept 15 at DraftKings
The start time of Thursday night’s contest at Estadio Azteca is set for 10:00 pm ET. The weather could be a factor, with rain in the forecast throughout the day, and temperatures hovering in the high 60s Fahrenheit.
La Maquina Searching for End to Scoring Drought
Cruz Azul saw their recent struggles against Monterrey extend in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal matchup. The Rayados scored just nine minutes, and that was all they needed to take a huge step towards their second berth in the Champions League final in three years. Overall, La Maquina have disappointed in recent dates with Monterrey, winning just once in their past six meetings, and have been held the scoresheet in two of their past four matchups
Cruz Azul podría empatar al América como el equipo con más Finales (7) en el máximo torneo de clubes de CONCACAF. pic.twitter.com/Xq4cXTI5I1
— Goles y Cifras (@golesycifras) September 15, 2021
That defeat extended what has developed into a worrisome slide for La Maquina. The club has now claimed victory in just two of their past nine outings in all competitions and has scored just four total goals over the seven contests during that stretch in which they picked up one or fewer points. Cruz Azul has also struggled to generate consistent results on home turf, earning the win in just one of their past six, including a 1-1 draw with Monterrey in league play four weeks ago.
⚡️ 7 seconds after Jesus Corona cleared the ball inside his area, Bryan Angulo had it in the Toronto FC net to power @CruzAzul into @TheChampions semi-finals 🤩
🏆 It's got 'Cuco' dreaming of the #Puskas Award and 'La Máquina' dreaming of the #ClubWC 🌎pic.twitter.com/3x8w1y02cN
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) May 5, 2021
One of the bright spots for Cruz Azul in this year’s tournament has been the play of Bryan Angulo. The Ecuadorian forward leads the club with four goals so far at this year’s tournament. He also sparked the team to their only recent win, scoring twice in last month’s 4-0 rout of Toluca.
Cruz Azul vs Monterrey Head-to-Head Stats
| 47 | Matches played | 49 |
| 21 | Matches won | 14 |
| 14 | Matches drawn | 14 |
| 14 | Matches lost | 21 |
| 76 | Goals scored | 58 |
| 77 | Points | 56 |
Monterrey Enjoying Steady Success in Champions League Action
Cruz Azul’s struggles come as good news to Monterrey, who have experienced the hardship of their own since last month’s first leg victory. The club is coming off a stunning 2-1 loss in a league clash with Atlas that they led early on. Overall, Monterrey are now winless in four straight outings, a run that has threatened to dump them out of La Liga Apertura playoff contention.
Triunfo polémico para el Atlas 🦊
Los rojinegros derrotaron 2-1 a los Rayados con goles de Quiñones y Furch
Se anularon dos anotaciones para el Atlas y uno para Monterrey ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/y9qcUsN0tW
— Gerardo Velázquez de León (@gvlo2008) September 12, 2021
Things have been particularly tough for Monterrey on the road. The Rayados have posted just one away victory in nine overall road dates since early April and were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw with the Columbus Crew in their last Champions League road contest in late April. Despite those concerns, Monterrey has managed to consistently avoid defeat at this tournament, picking up 13 of a potential 15 points this year, and now sport a red-hot 7-2-0 win-draw-loss record in their past nine Champions league contest.
🇲🇽 Monterrey, the 2019 winners of the CONCACAF Champions League have one foot in the 2021 final after a 1-0 win in the first leg of their semi-final vs. Cruz Azul.
Maximiliano Meza with the only goal. #Rayados #SCCL21 https://t.co/P5Ubf6xaZk
— FotMob (@FotMob) August 12, 2021
Rogelio Funes Mori remains the man to watch on offense for Monterrey. The Argentine-born star has scored three times over his past four league outings but has yet to find the back of the net so far in this year’s Champions League. The club has received scoring by committee while potting 12 total goals in five tournament contests, with another Argentine striker, Maximiliano Meza leading the squad with three markers.
The Picks: Draw +220; BTTS +100
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
