On February 7, 2025, Club América traveled to the Estadio Cuauhtémoc to take on Puebla in an exciting Liga MX Clausura match. With América aiming to reclaim the top spot in the standings and Puebla looking to cause an upset, the match had all the ingredients for a thrilling showdown.
After 90 minutes of intense action, América walked away with a 2-1 victory, securing their fifth win of the tournament and moving to the top of the table with 16 points—one ahead of León. But Puebla didn’t make it easy for them, even after going down to ten men in the first half.
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First Half: América Takes Control Early
América wasted no time asserting their dominance. Right from the whistle, they pressed high and controlled possession, making it difficult for Puebla to get into any rhythm.
Their early pressure paid off in the 13th minute when Alejandro Zendejas opened the scoring. It all started with a powerful shot from Víctor Dávila, which smashed against the right post. The rebound fell kindly to Zendejas, who made no mistake, blasting a left-footed strike into the back of the net.
Puebla’s task got even harder in the 37th minute when Brayan Angulo was sent off for a deliberate handball that denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Down to ten men, Puebla now had to survive against one of the strongest attacking teams in the league.
And América wasted no time making the most of their advantage. Just one minute later, Henry Martín doubled their lead. A defensive mistake inside the box left the ball bouncing dangerously, and Martín reacted quickest, firing it home to make it 2-0.
By halftime, América looked in total control. With a two-goal lead and a man advantage, most fans expected them to cruise through the second half. But Puebla had other plans.
Second Half: Puebla’s Fightback
Despite being a man down, Puebla came out in the second half determined to fight back. They reorganized their defense, tightened up their midfield, and started pushing forward whenever they got the chance.
América continued to dominate possession, and in the 65th minute, they came close to scoring their third. A fierce shot was parried by Puebla’s goalkeeper Miguel Jiménez, only for the ball to rebound off the crossbar—just inches away from sealing the game.
Then, against the run of play, Puebla found a lifeline. In the 73rd minute, Jesús Rivas whipped in a perfect cross from the right wing, and Ricardo Marín met it with a sweetly-struck volley. The ball flew past América’s goalkeeper Luis Malagón, and suddenly, Puebla was back in it at 2-1.
The final 15 minutes were tense. Puebla, despite being a man down, threw everything forward in search of an equalizer, while América tried to slow the game down and protect their lead.
In the end, América held firm, securing a 2-1 victory and climbing to the top of the table.
Match Stats
- Possession: América 62% – Puebla 38%
- Shots on Target: América 7 – Puebla 3
- Corners: América 6 – Puebla 2
- Fouls Committed: América 10 – Puebla 12
- Red Cards: Puebla 1 – América 0
Post-Match Reactions
After the match, América’s coach André Jardine praised his team’s performance, especially their ability to capitalize on Puebla’s red card. He highlighted the importance of securing away wins as they push for the Clausura title.
Puebla’s coach, despite the loss, was proud of his team’s resilience. He pointed out their strong second-half display and insisted that they could take positives from the match moving forward.
What’s Next?
With this win, América moves to the top of the Liga MX table, keeping their title hopes alive. Their next challenge will be to maintain this momentum and continue their strong run of form.
Puebla, on the other hand, will look to bounce back in their next match. Despite the loss, they showed plenty of fight, and their second-half performance proved they can still be competitive, even against the league’s best teams.
This match had everything—goals, a red card, and a late fightback. América deserved their victory, but Puebla made them work for it. That’s what makes Liga MX so exciting—no game is ever truly over until the final whistle!
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