MEXICO -- 'Everybody makes the team', 'win or lose', 'one player can´t do everything by himself', 'it is all about teamwork', those are the phrases we hear the most when a team is satisfied after a win or a tie or dissatisfied after a loss or a tie. But today, in the face of the semifinals of the Apertura 2009 and with four competitors out, everyone points at the Paraguayan Salvador Cabanas as the villain of the quarterfinals.
A few remember his facet as a hero, capable of being in charge of the America inside and outside the Azteca. A few realize it was him, on Saturday, who led the way to the victory with a penalty goal. Whether Jesus Ramirez slowed down the Aguilas or as he says, the rival slowed him down, is a different story.
Cabana scores a lot, that´s his virtue. So if he failed two times against the Rayados he can´t be crucified. Even the stars have the right to fail, but not in the "liguilla", would say the fans that after two years and a half saw their team with great chances and, all of a sudden, was eliminated with a loss and a tie. It was well deserved but also a pity that Cabanas didn´t get to the liguilla 100% ready, neither in terms football nor mentally speaking. He didn´t score the balls he never misses, and the Monterrey is a semifinalist because they put pressure on their rivals and played better when it counted the most, with a brilliant leadership of Victor Manuel Vucetich.
And they same way a scorer fails when he misses, the one who intercepts the ball is successful. Alfredo Talavera and Jonathan Orozco turned into heroes. Both of them entered the ground really inspired. It was now or never for them if they wanted to become the protagonists. Talavera has been improving, he´s playing with maturity and is showing he has abilities and he is getting better. Nobody remembers Hernan Cristante.
Orozco is another player who is excelling. Time has been on his side and he got the position that in other tournaments he had to share with Christian Martinez. He played very well against the Aguilas.
The two players aforementioned showed qualities that a few times were seen in them: catlike reflexes and good decision-making. Is not easy to get past Cabanas or Alfredo Moreno, and they did it.
Well have to see how they respond in the semifinals, when pressure reaches its highest peak. We hope Chuy Corona (Cruz Azul) and Moises Munoz (Morelia) don´t stay behind.
THE SHAKY POTENTIAL OF THE ROJO
In the first semifinal, the Rayados will test the shaky potential of the Toluca. The Diablos are still alive, although they didn´t exactly shine against San Luis. Despite the defeat in the first match (1-0), they were about to get eliminated by a shot of Victor Lojero, but the ball went to the post and then to the hands of the goalkeeper.
The style of the team, based on a strict concentration, didn´t work out for them. The players of Chepo de la Torre couldn´t remain calm; they didn´t take advantage of the possessions in the first half because they made desperate shots. They wanted to score the second goal before the first one.
They had a rival that drove them crazy. Zurdo Lopez stopped a team that has a solid defense and a dangerous counterattack. And with a good joint effort he got more chances to score than Hector Mancilla (1-.0). But if we compare proposals, the one of the Diablos is the best because of the excellence the y show when Chepo lets them lose form the beginning. They will need to get really lucky to get the Rayados out of the way. This contest is really even.
THE OTHER SEMIFINAL
The most spectacular duel of the quarterfinals was the Cruz Azul-Puebla. With missed and goals it kept the fans in suspense. The competitors left everything on the field (3-2), unlike the Morelia-Santos that ended uneven mostly because of the definition in the Morelos.
The result 3-0 shows the superiority of the team run by Tomas Boy, and also the low stamina of the santistas who couldn´t get rid of the weak end they had in the tournament despite their triumph (2-1) in the first game. In the second game they weren´t strong in the attack and the defense was taken to pieces.
And the second semifinal was practically announced: Cruz Azul-Morelia, two of the most regular teams of the competition.
Needless to say, the Maquina, with Enrique Meza as the boss, has to improve a lot in the defense. They shouldn´t be so careless in the back if they want to advance. They made a lot of defensive mistakes in the contests against the poblanos.
On the other hand, the Monarcas are more than ready to show they can be reliable in better circumstances. Despite the loss they had in the Corona, they showed intensity and they took advantage of playing at home. If they keep playing like this, their game against the Cruz Azul could be unforgettable.