Herediano Try To Overcome Insurmountable CCL Deficit

Cruz Azul whipped Herediano 6-2 a week ago but will try to overcome the deficit on Wednesday in Mexico City nevertheless.

Aug 5, 2009 12:13:10 AM

More On :  Cruz Azul
Javier Orozco, Cesar Villaluz y Pablo Zeballos- Cruz Azul vs Puerto Rico Islanders (Mexsport)
Technically, Cruz Azul must play Club Sport Herediano on Wednesday and close out their CONCACAF Champions League series in order to reach the group stage of the tournament.

But in reality, Cruz Azul punched their ticket to the next phase with a 6-2 thrashing of the hapless Costa Rican side in Heredia on Thursday.
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Still, the team isn't taking the large lead for granted.

"The manager (Enrique Meza) left it very clear to us - we're going to give it our best effort," Cruz Azul's Rogelio Chavez told reporters on Tuesday. "We're not going to drop back and defend. We're going to try and obtain a good result and if we can repeat the rout it would be great and a reward for our hard work. I don't think they will be able to catch us over the remaining 90 minutes."

Cruz Azul's hat-trick hero from a week ago should be fresh as Javier Orozco, author of half of Cruz Azul's goals a week ago, did not play in Sunday's league match over Cruz Azul.

Including their game against Pumas, Cruz Azul have scored nine goals in the last two games.

For the visitors, the score is difficult but the team is not going to Mexico City expecting another setback.

"It's unfortunate that we're coming in with this score because it gives us a terrible predicament," Herediano manager Kennethe Paniagua told Notimex. "They have a big lead in the series because they did very well in Costa Rica."


Herediano appeared flat in the second half of Thursday's match and were trampled once the club went down to 10 men.

"We're going to try and change a few things, most of all our attitude," he said. "That's what was lacking the most from the first match."

Ultimately, Herediano will try to save some face in the series if nothing else. Cruz Azul reached the final of last season's edition of the tournament and have shown that they are tough internationally, but Herediano hope to turn that around.

"We'll try to figure out the best way to try and have a strong showing in Estadio Azul and hopefully that's good enough to get to the next round," Paniagua said. "It's a difficult situation but we're going to try."

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