05/01 01:08 ET: Highlights from the match for those who missed it. (Courtesy of Futbol HD & Games.)
05/01 00:53 ET: Come back to VAVEL USA for more Liguilla MX action tomorrow. In the 9 PM opener, sixth-seeded Pachuca looks to spring an upset on third-seed Pumas UNAM. In the 11 PM finale, Tijuana will take on Toluca in a rematch of the Apertura 2012 championship tie.
05/01 00:51 ET: An early away goal by Mariano Pavone proved to be the difference in the tie so far. But Jose Maria Cardenas's equalizer will give Leon hope as they hope to take it to Cruz Azul at the Estadio Azul.
05/01 00:50 ET: Fox Sports (MEXICO) nominate Jose de Jesus Corona for the match--understandably so.
FT: Corner kick for Cruz Azul....but Arturo Ramos will not allow the corner kick to be taken. Cruz Azul players circle Ramos, visibly displeased with the decision.
90+2': Cruz Azul make their final SUBSITUTION. Mariano Pavone OFF, Ismael Valadez ON.
90': Three minutes of added time at the Estadio Leon.
88': YELLOW CARD against Gerardo Torrado for a challenge on 'Chenma' Cardenas.
87': Cross from Fausto Pinto does not find its target, and is collected by Jose de Jesus Corona.
85': Brilliant emergency defending by Cruz Azul prevents a Leon goal and forces a Leon corner kick.
84': Cruz Azul make their second SUBSTITUTION. Gerardo Flores comes on for Joao Rojas.
83': Cross finds Eisner Loboa, but Loboa's shot misses the target.
82': Scorpion kick attempt by Christian Gimenez saved by William Yarbrough.
81': Foul against Leon forces the goal kick.
80': Corner kick for Leon
76': Shot from Mauro Boselli collected by Jose de Jesus Corona. Julio Dominguez made the emergency recovery to force Boselli's shot into Corona's hands.
75': YELLOW CARD awarded against Mariano Pavone for diving.
73': Corner kick for Cruz Azul
71': Leon make their first change. Carlos Pena comes OFF, and Eisner Loboa comes on.
71': Joao Rojas draws a costless kick just outside the 18 for Cruz Azul.
70': Cruz Azul make their first SUBSTITUTION. Christian 'Chaco' Gimenez enters for Mauro Formica. Corner kick for Cruz Azul as well.
64': YELLOW CARD given against Carlos Pena.
62': Leon still pressing. Cruz Azul being stretched. Corner kick for Leon.
57': End-to-end football, with both William Yarbrough and Jose de Jesus Corona needing to be brave to stop counterattacks.
56': Costless kick for Leon outside the 18. Direct shot on goal very possible
54': Corner kick for Cruz Leon.
54': Costless kick just outside the 18' for Leon.
49': Shot off the foot of Marco Fabian saved by Yarbrough.
47': What a shot and what a save by William Yarbrough.
46': The second half has begun.
HT: No stoppage time added to the end of the first half (ending the half). Goals from Mariano Pavone and Jose Maria Cardenas see the match tied 1-1. Cruz Azul are ahead on the tie thanks to Pavone's away goal.
44': Franco Arizala released inside the six, but misses the target.
43': Leon still with most of the possession and chances.
42': What a move by Carlos Pena to get costless. But the Leon attacker's shot is saved by Jose de Jesus Corona.
40': Plenty of up and down action. But no goals, or serious shots since the 26th minute.
26': Jose de Jesus Corona with the SAVE on Franco Arizala. Not a good day at the office so far for Rogelio Chavez.
21': GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLAAAAZZZO for Leon!!!! What a chip and move by Jose Maria 'Cherma' Cardenas!! 1-1.
20': Cruz Azul started to get possession of the ball again. But not much happening.
17': Leon with a nice spell of possession, but Boselli's header goes wide of the mark.
12': Mauro Boselli takes a shot, but it's collected by Jose de Jesus Corona.
8': Mauro Boselli's shot goes over the bar.
4': GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL for Cruz Azul!! A cross from Rogelio Chavez finds Mariano Pavone. Nacho Gonzalez and Rafael Marquez kept Pavone onside.. Pavone heads the cross past William Yarbrough. Leon 0, Cruz Azul 1.
1': The match has begun.
04/30 23:01 ET: Cruz Azul XI (4-4-2): Corona; Chávez, Perea, Domínguez, Pinto; Torrado, Castro, Rojas, Fabián; Formica, Pavone. D.T. Luis Fernando Tena
04/30 22:30 ET: Club Leon XI (4-4-2): Yarbrough; Magallón, González, Márquez, Hernández; Vázquez, Peña, Montes, Cárdenas; Arizala, Boselli.; D.T. Gustavo Matosas.
04/30 22:24 ET: Reminder. There is no added extra time and certainly no penalties in the quarterfinals or semifinals. Aggregate ties are decided first by away goals and then by higher seed.
04/30 21:00 ET: Of the last six times Cruz Azul and Leon played each other, Cruz Azul have won twice, Leon once, while both sides have drawn three times. Leon's only win in this fixture since they were last promoted to Liga MX was a 3-0 win in the Apertura 2012 quarterfinals.
04/30 21:00 ET: One player being monitored by several European sides for Leon will be playmaker Carlos Pena. 'Gullit' has the vision, ball control, and 1v1 ability to succeed in a La Liga-type environment. At the end of the season, we will know more about Pena's suitors and what kinds of offers might be coming in for him
04/30 21:00 ET: Marco Fabian has been a revived man in the attacking midfield since coming over from Chivas on loan. Most of Cruz Azul's offense has gone through the Mexico international out left or in center. A question, if the Azulblancos do not make it past Leon, could center around Fabian's future with the club. Cruz Azul may want to pay Chivas a fee to keep Fabian on a full transfer, but European (or North American or Asian) suitors may come calling as well.
04/30 21:00 ET: Rafa Marquez's leadership has been critical in the revival of La Fiera (Leon), in both keeping the defensive organization and rallying the side when things have not gone their way. However, Rafa is known to lose his composure himself or make a frequent high challenge. Cruz Azul's Marco Fabian, Joao Rojas, and others will want to force a high challenge from him that gets the Mexico captain into yellow or red-card trouble.
04/30 21:00 ET: Cruz Azul and Club Leon played out to a 0-0 draw when they met in the Clausura this season. Here is a recap of that match.
04/30 21:00 ET: If Leon are to get a home victory, they will have to do so with the backdrop of a large section of traveling Cruz Azul fans.
04/30 21:00 ET: On Tuesday's media day, William Yarbrough explained to Record that "I think when it comes to playoffs the way we have a nice opportunity, and we have to [give it] everything, you have to enjoy this match knowing that Cruz Azul was our opponent in this magnificent tournament. And we just have to enjoy this opportunity, [as we were lucky] to get in."
04/30 21:00 ET: Look for a goalkeeping clinic to be displayed by Mexico international (and Cruz Azul keeper) Jose de Jesus Corona and Leon keeper William Yarbrough. Yarbrough has not made his mind with regards to his international feature--and can represent Mexico and the United States at the international level (Yarbrough was born to American parents from Texas).
04/30 21:00 ET: Luis Fernando Tena's side has had success this season because Tena has gotten the most out of on-loan attacking midfielder Marco Fabian, whom Tena coached with the 2012 gold-medal winning Mexico U-23s.
04/30 21:00 ET: Soccerly's Jonny Rico (Twitter: @jonyrico) argues that Gustavo Matosas's sde, who are defending champions (and going for a Bicentenario (if one defines a Bicentenario as winning two straight tournaments) themselves), possess more of a threat to #1 Cruz Azul than most recent bottom seeds have.
04/30 21:00 ET: Cruz Azul have the burden of being the #1 seed, which has not been a kind seed in recent years in either Liga MX or in Ascenso MX. In Liga MX #1 seeds may have made the finals in 4 of the last 5 Liguillas, but they have only won two of them. However a bottom seed has only upset a #1 seed once in the last six tournaments--Apertura 2011 when #8 Queretaro defeated #1 Chivas 2-1 (aggregate) thanks to an opening leg brace by Carlos Bueno.
04/30 21:00 ET: Leon managed to scrape into the Liguilla after a surprise win against Xolos, and other results throughout Round 17 going their way after focusing much of the 2014 Clausura on their Copa Libertadores efforts.