Las Águilas were eliminated after losing 2-1 to La Máquina in the second leg of the Champions Cup quarterfinals
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Ángel Sepúlveda scored a braceÁlvaro Fidalgo found the net for AméricaAlejandro Zendejas played the full 90 minutesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?
América was eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday after losing 2-1 to Cruz Azul in the second leg of the quarterfinals. Vicente Sánchez’s team took the lead in the 12th minute with a goal from Ángel Sepúlveda. André Jardine’s side pushed forward in search of the away goal that would send them through to the semifinals, and found it in the 57th minute through Álvaro Fidalgo.
Right after the equalizer, Jardine made a controversial decision: he subbed off Diego Valdés and brought on defender Néstor Araujo, switching from a back four to a back five. América stopped attacking and handed control over to Cruz Azul, who capitalized in the 85th minute with a second goal from Sepúlveda that sealed the win for La Máquina.
The decision sparked criticism from several Mexican football legends.
Ricardo Peláez said on Futbol Picante: “América remains the most successful team in CONCACAF, but this drought continues. Playing without a center forward didn’t work. They already had the result, but Jardine made a mistake switching from a back four to a back five after the goal.”
Hugo Sánchez added: “I liked Cruz Azul’s setup; it was a well-earned win. Jardine made changes to unsettle the rival coach, but Cruz Azul was always better positioned tactically and strategically. They had to stop being América’s clients – and they could’ve won by more.”
Jared Borgetti criticized Jardine’s approach: “Vicente Sánchez surprised with the lineup. Jardine was arrogant playing a series against Cruz Azul without a center forward. That was a mistake. You need someone who stretches the field. Jardine is largely responsible.”
Carlos Hermosillo, on La Última Palabra, stated: “This was the best game I’ve seen from Cruz Azul in a long time. I don’t like Vicente Sánchez, but today the team played their best football. La Máquina was better in both halves. Sepúlveda has been the one carrying this team.”
Gómez Junco concluded: “I liked Vicente Sánchez’s game plan. América started well, but stopped doing the right things after the goal.”
The consensus among the pundits was clear: The elimination was the manager's fault.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The André Jardine era at Club América has been defined by success – three Liga MX titles in three tournaments. But the Champions Cup continues to be the Brazilian coach’s downfall. Once again, Las Águilas fall short in their pursuit of the regional crown.
Despite their dominance in Mexican football, América continues to come up empty-handed in international competition. The latest elimination adds a bitter note to an otherwise historic run under Jardine’s leadership. Now, the focus shifts back to Liga MX, where América will face Cruz Azul Saturday in a key Clausura 2025 clash.
“First of all, congratulations to Cruz Azul," Jardine said. "These are always balanced games. It’s been proven time and again – everything is decided in the details. It’s a 180-minute battle, and our biggest mistake was the lack of finishing. Not taking the lead in the first leg was our biggest sin.”
Getty Images SportWHAT JARDINE AND FIDALGO SAID
"It hurts a lot," Jardine said. "We want to make history, but we have to take it one step at a time – other teams want it too. This was a match that could easily have been a final, against one of the best teams in the tournament. That’s football. We’re sad for our fans. We want to bring them joy, this group represents the institution. We’ll be hurting for a few days, but we move forward. Let them be certain of that."
Álvaro Fidalgo also spoke after the match, saying, "It’s really tough for everyone because no one thought we’d go out before getting here. When you win so much, sometimes you forget this feeling – this horrible feeling – and now, yeah, we’re just very disappointed."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR AMÉRICA?
The Águilas will have a chance at revenge Saturday when they host Cruz Azul in Matchday 15 of the Clausura 2025. Still, it’s clear the most important match of the season has already been played – and it was Vicente Sánchez’s side that came out on top.
