Jesus Corona

 
All of the familiar symptoms were there. Cruz Azul displayed signs of their usual Liguilla weakness throughout their quarterfinal match-up with Morelia. The symptoms just never manifested in to the full-blown sickness.

At the beginning of the season, I had a sneaking suspicion. There was a faint whiff of something foul. I couldn't say for sure that the funk was there, but it was a definite possibility. Now through the tenth match of the season, I could say with confidence ... this Cruz Azul team is deeply flawed and just a bit awful.

The casual wear of Cruz Azul's Olympians and what it says about them on and off the field:

From the left to right:

 
There was so much that was wrong about the Mexican team last night. The formation, the form of key players, and the lack of creative spark all led to problems that could have spelled trouble for El Tri. They didn't. Mexico dominated the match in Costa Rica and took a decisive 2-0 victory.

Does a player stick to the domestic game or travel overseas for a chance at something bigger? The repercussions of this decision will likely affect the length, net earnings, and success of their career. Should they commit or should they go?

Success in team sports can be attributed to many things. One of the most redeeming ways in which teams win is when they find a way to come together and play as a true team. If a group of individuals can come together as a collective unit to execute a single plan of execution, something beautiful can transpire. Saturday’s gold medal match was a great display of two teams on the opposite end of this spectrum. Mexico played a great game that exemplified team play and hard work, Brazil ... not so much.

This afternoon Wembley was host to a match between two teams fighting to reach the finals of a major tournament. The match featured two teams struggling to advance by playing enjoyable, attacking football. Needless to say, although hosting, England wasn’t involved in this one. Mexico entered today’s semifinal having scored the most goals in the Olympic competition. Japan had not allowed a single goal through their four matches. This made for an interesting clash and led to some amazing goals.

Six reasons why you should watch this Saturday:
1. Relevance

Goalkeepers draw both praise and ire in abundance. They stand isolated in a position of power and pressure. A solitary position such as this allows critics to more easily pick out flaws or possibly greatness. The best keepers and the worst are spotted readily. However, what separates one quality keeper from another? How do we know which goalkeeper is stronger when there is more than one with extreme talent? Or more pointedly, for Mexico at least, how do you separate out four great goalkeepers from each other?

 
Cruz Azul’s season came to an abrupt conclusion on Sunday. Their season ended with a disappointing draw at Estadio Azteca to Club America. Their failure to get the needed three points was emblematic of their season as a whole. Dropping points early followed by a late charge that comes up short.