America, current Mexican soccer championbegan his participation in the tournament on Friday Closing 2025 with a 1-0 visiting victory against Querétaro and with its under-23 team.
The three-time Mexican champion took to the field at the La Corregidora stadium in Querétaro with his under-23 team led by Diego Cervantes because the starting team with Brazilian coach André Jardine is still in preseason work after the title obtained on December 15.
“Before coming, the teacher (Jardine) told us that the confidence was in the young people and the fact that they respond in this way is something very good. This is America, play under-23 or under-19, there is the result,” he said midfielder Erick Sánchez to the Caliente TV network.
In the game that opened the Clausura tournamentthe “Águilas” of América came close to scoring in the 19th minute with a powerful shot from Aarón Arredondo that hit the crossbar.
Querétaro responded at 31 minutes with a header from Christian Castillo that went astray.
Querétaro sand was left with one man less in the 43rd minute due to the expulsion of the Argentine defender Franco Russowho saw the red card after committing a strong foul on Sánchez.
América’s goal fell in the 63rd minute in a counterattack play that Sánchez started and Antonio Álvarez finished by finishing a pass from Miguel “Isco” Ramírez in front of the goal.
América’s victory could have been due to more goals, but the wise interventions of goalkeeper Guillermo Allison and the failures of the forwards prevented it.
“Very happy, what we have just achieved is priceless and we are going to continue for more. We prepare for this type of things and we are going to respond, we are going to continue fighting for another trophy because America has to be at the top,” Álvarez told Caliente TV.
Later the matches between Mazatlán-Bravos Ciudad Juárez and Tijuana-Toluca will be played.
On Saturday, Guadalajara will face Santos Laguna, Atlético de San Luis will play against UANL Tigers and Blue Cross will be rival of Atlas.
The first day will be completed on Sunday with the matches between Pumas UNAM-Necaxa and Monterrey-Puebla.
The match between Pachuca and León was rescheduled for February 5 due to Pachuca’s participation in the Intercontinental Cup in which they lost the final in December against Real Madrid.
