Background on Key Players and Teams
America, the most successful football club in Mexico with 16 titles, delivered a dominant performance by defeating Pumas UNAM 4-1 in the Apertura tournament’s undécima jornada. The match took place at the Ciudad de los Deportes stadium in Mexico City.
Alejandro Zendejas, a crucial figure in America’s triumph, scored a double to secure the victory. His contributions were pivotal in overcoming an early deficit and ultimately securing the win.
Game Summary
Pumas took the lead in the 35th minute when Jorge Ruvalcaba capitalized on a mistake by America’s Sebastián Cáceres, resulting in a goal after Luis Ángel Malagón’s misjudged clearance.
- America nearly equalized in the 39th minute through Israel Reyes’ shot, which was saved by Pumas’ Keylor Navas.
- In the 55th minute, America’s Álvaro Angulo inadvertently scored an own goal after Navas’ parry hit him in the chest.
- America turned the match around in the 59th minute when José Raúl Zúñiga headed in from close range following a pass by Alexis Gutiérrez.
- Zendejas scored his first goal in the 73rd minute, showcasing quick thinking to beat Navas with a lofted shot into the left angle after receiving a pass from Allan Saint-Maximin.
- Zendejas completed his double in the 83rd minute with a penalty kick after being fouled inside the area.
Other Match Results
Toluca thrashed Mazatlán 3-1, with goals from Héctor Herrera, Bruno Méndez, and Paulinho. Nicolás Benedetti scored for Mazatlán.
Guadalajara won 2-0 against Puebla, with Bryan González and Omar Govea finding the back of the net. The match was postponed from Friday due to heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Pachuca defeated Atlético de San Luis 2-1, with Enner Valencia and Juan Manuel Sanabria (own goal) scoring for Pachuca, while Sebastián Pérez Bouquet netted for Atlético de San Luis.
Atlas edged Necaxa 3-2, with Mateo García, Uros Durdevic, and Diego González scoring for Atlas, while Tomas Jacob and Diber Cambindo replied for Necaxa.
Monterrey secured a 1-0 victory over Santos Laguna, with Lucas Ocampos netting the winning goal.
Upcoming Matches
The day’s action will conclude on Sunday with Querétaro hosting Tigres UANL and Cruz Azul visiting Tijuana.
Coaching Change
Earlier in the week, Bravos de Ciudad Juárez defeated León 2-0 on Friday, leading to the resignation of Argentine coach Eduardo “Toto” Verizzo from León.
