Nigerian forward Christian Ebere continued his fine scoring form on Thursday morning after helping Cruz Azul earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Chivas in the first leg of their Liga MX Clausura semi-final clash.
Ebere once again proved decisive for Cruz Azul as the Mexican giants came from behind twice in an entertaining encounter at the Estadio Banorte.
Christian Ebere Extends Impressive Cruz Azul Scoring Run
The Nigerian striker calmly converted from the penalty spot in the 56th minute to level the score at 2-2 after Chivas had regained the lead early in the second half.
Ebere’s latest effort means he has now scored three goals in his last three appearances for Cruz Azul, taking his tally to four for the season.
The 28-year-old had earlier netted a brace against Atlas in the quarter-final, and his recent form continues to make him one of the club’s most reliable attacking players.
The forward remained active throughout the contest before making way for Matteo Levy late in the game.
The match started at a fast pace with both sides creating chances in an open contest.
Chivas broke the deadlock in the 29th minute through Santiago Sandoval, but Cruz Azul responded strongly as Carlos Rodríguez restored parity just eight minutes later.
Cruz Azul And Chivas Produce Liga MX Semi-final Drama
The visitors regained the advantage shortly after the restart when Ángel Sepúlveda finished clinically to make it 2-1 in the 50th minute.
However, Christian Ebere stepped up once again for Cruz Azul six minutes later, showing composure from the penalty spot to bring the hosts back into the game.
Both teams continued to search for a winning goal, but neither side could find the breakthrough in a tense closing period.
The result extended Cruz Azul’s unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions, with the team recording three wins and five draws during that stretch.
Christian Ebere and his teammates will now turn their attention to Sunday’s return leg as they aim to secure a place in the Liga MX Clausura final.