Cruz Azul held on to get a 4-3 victory over Club America in another edition of the “Clasico Joven”. Cruz Azul had a three goal lead at halftime and for most of the match but had a scare in the final minutes before getting the victory. Cruz Azul jumped into temporarily third place in Liga MX and dropped America to 2nd place with the notable victory. Club America will have to bounce back quickly as they face the biggest match of their season in the Superclasico against Chivas next Saturday while Cruz Azul will travel
to the United States to face off against Inter Miami in the Campeones Cup before returning to Mexico to face off against Monterrey.
The 1st half started with Cruz Azul and America coming out with solid starting 11s. From outside the area, Jeremy Marquez got off a left footed shot that forced a save from America’s goalkeeper, Rodolfo Cota. A good run by Jose Paradela ended with a cross into the area where a wide open Erik Lira got to the ball and got off a great right footed shot past Cota to score and give Cruz Azul the 1-0 lead. America tried to answer and Brian Rodriguez got into the area where he got off a left footed shot that was saved by Cruz Azul’s goalkeeper, Kevin Mier. Raphael Veiga got off a left footed shot that went well wide. America had to sub out an injured Dagoberto Espinoza for Cristian Borja. From outside the area, Paradela got off a right footed shot that Cota saved. Off a free kick, Cruz Azul got off a great set piece play that ended with a cross into the area where Jose Paradela got off a great left footed shot that went past Cota to score and give Cruz Azul the 2-0 lead. It was a very similar shot to the one by Lira and Cruz Azul had a strong lead. A cross into the area was headed by a wide open Henry Martin but Mier made a good save. After going to VAR, the referee saw that Ramon Juarez had stepped on Paradela and gave Cruz Azul a Penalty Kick. Nicolas Ibañez stepped up to take the PK and got off a horrendous right footed shot that Cota saved. Martin got off a bicycle kick shot that went right to Mier. Off a corner kick, the cross into the area found a wide open Jesus Orozco, who got off a volley from close range that went past Cota to give Cruz Azul the 3-0 lead. Veiga got off a great left footed shot that went past Mier but hit the post. After Veiga pushed Carlos Rodriguez, it started a brawl that ended with a number of yellow cards for both teams. On a corner kick, Alan Cervantes had a great chance when he got off a close range header but it went wide. The whistle blew with Cruz Azul going to the dressing room with the incredible and surprising three goal lead.
The 2nd half started with America subbing out Erick Sanchez and Isaias Violante for Icarus and Alejandro Zendejas. Off a corner kick, Ramon Juarez got off a close range header that hit the post. Off a free kick, Brian Rodriguez got off a fantastic right footed shot over the wall and past Mier to score and place the match at 3-1. Cruz Azul subbed out Omar Campos and Nicolas Ibañez for Carlos Rotondi and Gabriel Fernandez. Agustin Palavecino got off a left footed shot that went wide. Off a free kick, the cross into the area found a wide open Cervantes, who wasted a great chance by sending his shot well wide. Off a counter, Fernandez got off a right footed shot that forced a great save from Cota. After the ball fell in the area to Palavecino, he got off a right footed shot that went wide. Cruz Azul subbed out Jeremy Marquez for Alan Mozo. America subbed out Raphael Veiga for Oscar Perea. After winning the ball and going on a 1 vs 1, Gabriel Fernandez got past Cota and would get off a right footed shot that went past defender Israel Reyes and into the empty net to score and give Cruz Azul the 4-1 lead. A cross from Rodriguez would turn into a shot that forced a save from Mier. America subbed out Henry Martin for Miguel Borja. Cruz Azul subbed out Amaury Garcia and Agustin Palavecino for Gonzalo Piovi and Christian Ebere. Perea got off a good left footed shot from outside the area that forced a great save by Mier. Perea would get off a right footed shot that forced another good save from Mier. On a 1 vs 1, Paradela got off a left footed shot that Cota saved. From outside the area, Oscar Perea got off a great left footed shot that went past Mier to score and place things at 4-2. Almost immediately America would get back the ball and Zendejas got off a shot that was terribly handled by Mier, leaving the ball there for Miguel Borja to arrive and shot it into the net to score and place things at 4-3. In less that a minute, America had completely changed things. A cross into the area was just out of reach of Borja and Cervantes. From outside the area, Kevin Alvarez got off a right footed shot that went wide. A cross into the area was shot wide by Fernandez. There would be no more chances and Cruz Azul held on for the Clasico victory.
Cruz Azul had one of their best performances in 2026 in the first half as they dominated and took a 3-0 lead. It should have been an easy victory but it was a mistake to slow down against a Club America, who are their biggest rival and always have fight until the end. Club America came into the tournament in first place but many of their victories have been against struggling team and it doesn’t look good at all how they struggled against the best rival they faced so far in the Apetura 2026. Still they late goals gave Cruz Azul a scare and had their been more time left, they could have tied or even won. America will now face off against Chivas in the biggest regular season game in Mexican football. The superclasico should be a tough match as Chivas could be coming in first place, depending on the result on Sunday. Cruz Azul will travel to the United States to face off against Inter Miami in a new edition of the Campeones Cup, which has the MLS champion face off against the Liga MX champion.
