In a thrilling encounter that felt like a prelude to the final, the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes witnessed an electrifying victory for Club América, who will now face Rayados in the Liga MX final.
The much-anticipated semifinal, often referred to as the “semifinal of the century,” lived up to its hype as America triumphed over Cruz Azul once again. With their eyes set on a potential third consecutive championship, the match was filled with dramatic twists and turns.
Right from the start, America took the lead with an early goal from Alejandro Zendejas, which sent alarm bells ringing for Cruz Azul. The excitement intensified in the second half when Richard Sánchez scored a spectacular goal nearly from midfield, taking advantage of a mistake by Cruz Azul’s Rotondi to stun them with a 2-0 lead.
Cruz Azul refused to back down, with José Rivero narrowing the gap to 2-1 in the 68th minute. Just when hopes seemed to rise for them, Ramón Juárez delivered a blow to their morale by scoring again for America, extending their lead to 3-1. Yet, the match was far from over. In a stunning comeback, Cruz Azul’s ‘Toro’ Fernández and Amaury Morales scored two quick goals, evening the score at 3-3 by the 86th minute.
As the excitement reached a fever pitch, a controversial foul in the dying moments of the game set the stage for a penalty. Rodrigo Aguirre, who would later receive a red card, converted the penalty at the 94th minute to seal a dramatic 4-3 victory for America.
This win propels America to their third consecutive final, where they will aim to make history as the first team to clinch three Liga MX titles in the short tournament era.
The narrative of this match is not just about the rivalry between the two teams; it showcases resilience, skill, and the passion that makes Liga MX such an exhilarating competition. With the final ahead, fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be another unforgettable clash as America goes for glory against Rayados.