MIAMI, Florida – Five days shy of their opening match in the 2022 Liga MX Clausura, 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League participants Cruz Azul have announced the signing of three players.
Mexico attacker Uriel Antuna heads up the list, arriving from Chivas where he played in 62 league matches and scored six goals.
Since his breakout performance at the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup when he scored a hat trick in his Mexican National Team debut and four goals overall in the tournament, the 24-year-old has been a key part of Mexico’s international setup.
That includes forming part of the Mexico squad that took home the 2020 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship in which he scored three goals and then helping El Tricolor win the Bronze Medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics last summer.
Needless to say, Antuna has always thrived in Concacaf competition and now will have the opportunity to do so at the club level with Cruz Azul, who take on Canadian Premier League side Forge FC in the Round of 16 of the 2022 SCCL.
Another player with Concacaf experience was also announced by Cruz Azul on Tuesday, with Alejandro Mayorga joining the Mexico City club from Chivas.
The 24-year-old DF also has ample experience in Liga MX, having played previously for Chivas, Necaxa and Pumas.
Mayorga is well acquainted with the challenges that come with competing in the SCCL. The fullback was part of the Guadalajara side that lifted the 2018 trophy, starting three matches and scoring one goal during Chivas’ title run, including playing in Chivas’ 2-1 victory at Toronto FC in the Final first leg.
Cruz Azul have also injected their squad with some youth, brining MF Erik Lira into the fold. The 21-year-old came from the Pumas youth system and played 57 league matches with Pumas prior to his arrival to Cruz Azul.
Lira also has two appearances with the Mexican National Team.
