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Tigres UANL will host Cruz Azul at the Estadio Universitario in their opening game of the Liga MX 2022-23 Apertura campaign on Saturday.
Cruz travelled to Los Angeles for the Campeon de Campeones fixture against Atlas FC on Sunday. After a 2-2 draw in regulation time, Cruz beat the reigning Apertura champions 4-3 on penalties.
Meanwhile, this will be the first game since the completion of the 2021-22 Clausura phase fixture for Tigres. Both Cruz and Tigres will be hopeful of a winning start to their league campaign, so an interesting game could ensue.
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Tigres UANL vs Cruz Azul Head-to-Head
This will be the 64th meeting between the two teams across competitions since 1997. La Maquina have the better record in this fixture with 25 wins, while their opponents have won 21 times with 17 games drawn.
This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams in 2022, with both teams securing 1-0 away wins and the other game ending in a 2-2 draw.
Their two-legged quarter-final fixture in the Championship phase ended 1-1 on aggregate. However, Tigres progressed to the semi-finals, thanks to their better record in the regular season
Tigres UANL form guide (all competitions): -
Cruz Azul form guide (all competitions): -
Tigres UANL vs Cruz Azul Team News
Tigres UANL
Nahuel Guzman is ineligible to play the campaign opener due to a pending suspension from the previous edition of the competition. There are no reported injury concerns for Los Tigres.
Manager Miguel Herrera has confirmed that Luis Quinones and Yeferson Soteldo will miss the game due to disciplinary reasons.
Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Nicolas Lopez.
Unavailable: Luis Quinones, Yeferson Soteldo.
Cruz Azul
Ignacio Rivero is the only absentee for the capital club. Carlos Rodriguez made an appearance from the bench against Atlas and could start again here.
Injured: Ignacio Rivero.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.
Unavailable: None.
Tigres UANL vs Cruz Azul Predicted XIs
Tigres UANL (4-3-3): Miguel Ortega (GK); Javier Aquino, Igor Lichnovsky, Diego Reyes, Jesus Angulo; Juan Pablo Vigon, Guido Pizarro, Sebastian Cordova; Florian Thauvin, Raymundo Fulgencio, Andre-Pierre Gignac.
Cruz Azul (4-2-3-1): Sebastian Jurado (GK); Julio Cesar Dominguez, Jose Joaquin Martinez, Luis Abram, Juan Escobar; Erik Lira, Rafael Baca; Uriel Antuna, Christian Tabo, Santiago Gimenez; Angel Romero.
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Tigres UANL vs Cruz Azul Prediction
Tigres finished second in the Clausura regular season standings, scoring 30 goals. They could continue that goalscoring form in this league campaign as well.
Cruz, meanwhile, looked sharp in the Campeon de Campeones against Atlas, scoring twice. As this is just the first game of the new campaign, the likelihood of a draw is high.
Prediction: Tigres UANL 2-2 Cruz Azul.
