Nigerian Ebere gives Cruz Azul victory over Puebla in start of second jornada

Cruz Azul secured a dramatic 2-1 victory against Puebla thanks to a late strike from Nigerian forward Christian Ebere. The win, achieved in a match brought forward to the second jornada of the Mexican Apertura football season, positions Cruz Azul as the first team to secure two wins in their opening two games. The match saw Puebla take an early lead in the 28th minute through Fernando Monárrez, who capitalized on defensive disarray to score from outside the area. Cruz Azul, however, managed to equalize just before halftime in the 44th minute with a goal from Luka Romero. The second half was a hard-fought contest, with Cruz Azul dominating possession for large periods, though Puebla demonstrated good defensive resilience. In the closing stages, Cruz Azul intensified their pressure. Agustín Palavecino hit the crossbar in the 80th minute, and two minutes later, Ebere sealed the victory for the home side after receiving a pass from Argentine José Paradela. The match was played ahead of Cruz Azul's upcoming championship game against Toluca next Saturday. In other early fixtures of the jornada, Toluca was scheduled to host Pumas UNAM.