Cruz Azul's Joaquin Beltran Luis Velazquez, right, vies for the ball with Atlante's Luis Gabriel Rey during their CONCACAF Champions Cup football finals match in Mexico City on Wednesday night. (Luis Acosta/Getty Images)

Atlante scored twice in the first half to beat fellow Mexican side Cruz Azul 2-0 Wednesday in the first leg of the Champions League finals in Mexico City.

Fernando Navarro and Christian Bermudz scored in the 17th and 24th minutes. Both were set up by Rafael Marquez Lugo.

Atlante will continue its pursuit of the second confederation crown in its history, and first since 1983, when the team returns home to Estadio Quintana Roo in Cancun next Wednesday.

Cruz Azul was forced to play the match without the suspended Gerardo Torrado and Cristian Riveros.

Both teams, which made for a third all-Mexican CONCACAF final in four years, entered the match struggling domestically, with Atlante in 15th place in the 18-team league, one place ahead of Cruz Azul.

Atlante, which like Cruz Azul was without suspended players Luis Venegas and Giancarlo Maldonado, started quickly, creating a pair of chances in the first 12 minutes.

Atlante finally converted in the 17th when Navarro, just outside the top of the area, sent a ball deep to Marquez Lugo, who returned it with a flick of the outside of his right heel. Navarro took one touch to close unmarked on Alfonso Blanco, and easily beat the Cruz Azul keeper with a blast from the edge of the six-yard box.

Seven minutes later, Marquez Lugo used his speed down the left flank to get clear, then sent a low rolling cross through the area that Luis Rey dummied and Bermudez finished into an open net at the back post.

Atlante defender Miguel Martinez will miss the second leg, after receiving his second yellow card since the start of the knockout quarterfinals. Martinez was also red carded for his part in a melee in the 3-1 victory over Santos in the semifinals, but had his automatic suspension voided when the CONCACAF disciplinary committee ruled that he was trying to help quell the fracas and not adding to it.

Cruz Azul manager Benjamin Galindo moved quickly after Navarro’s goal to thwart Atlante’s control, replacing Edgar Andrade with Hector Gutierrez in the 20th minute.

After falling behind by a second goal, Cruz Azul showed some life late in the first half generating a chance from distance by Pablo Zeballos in the 40th and a volley just wide by Alejandro Vela four minutes later.

Cruz Azul had more of the play in the second half, but was unable to capitalize on chances by Cesar Villaluz, Luis Landin and Javier Orozco.