"We did enough to merit the win," Cruz Azul coach Enrique Meza said. "They did a lot offensively but we did enough defensively. We defended well despite the offensive intensity they were coming with and the domination they had at the end. Our defense and our goalkeeper did very well. We lost the ball but a lot of it was due to the pressure they had but we were able to withstand that."
Columbus is second in Group C, leading Saprissa by two points with two games left for the final slot in the quarterfinals. Cruz Azul can now finish no worse than second.
In Group B, Toluca beat San Juan Jabloteh 3-0 with goals from Isaac Brizuela (28th), Manuel Alejandro Zarate del Rio (65th), and Nestor Calderon (77th). Toluca now leads the group by six points with Marathon and DC United playing later tonight. In Group D, W. Connection got a surprising 3-0 win over Comunicaciones in Guatemala City. Jonathan Fana had goals in the 46th and 76th, with Romauld Aguillera scoring in the 54th.
