Santos had a golden opportunity. After Pumas and Xolos lost and San Luis drew, all they needed was a draw in order to make the repechaje. Instead, Santos came out flat and lost 3-2 and will sit the post-season out. Carlos Acevedo missed the match injured, breaking a streak of 58 straight games started.
Cruz Azul started out on the front foot, keeping possession in Santos’ end and getting a couple of early set pieces. Nothing terribly threatening came of it though, and Santos was able to get their legs underneath them. Santos however had communication issues, with players sometimes directing traffic when confusion set in.