Liga MX’s flagship team, Club América, the two-time defending Liga MX champions, will finally be setting sail on their Leagues Cup campaign Friday at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium against league rival Atlas FC in the round of 32. Friday’s match will be the latest installment of one of Liga MX’s oldest rivalries— one that originated in the 1940’s. América received a bye into the knockout round as Liga MX champions. After splitting their matches in group play, Atlas advanced to the knockout stage due to better goal differential over Real Salt Lake.
América became the first team since… Atlas to repeat as Liga MX champions. They spent the group stage playing friendlies against English Premier League opponents: a 3-0 loss to Chelsea and a 1-0 win over Aston Villa. In Liga MX, las Águilas started the season with a pair of both wins and losses.
They chose to play the game in Southern California. Érick “el chiquito” Sánchez, the newest member of the squad, realizes América can play anywhere in the US. “We can go to any part of the US and play as the local team. It is important for crowd to do their part, but we can’t lose sight of what we need to do ourselves.”
Atlas’ Leagues Cup campaign can be surmised by the adage: You win by the golazo
And you lose by the golazo.
Los rojinegros will have the tall task of slowing down América striker Henry Martín. Martín is tied for the Liga MX with four goals in as many contests. But it is not just Martín, América has talent all over the pitch. The midfield may be the strongest in the tournament with the likes of former LA Galaxy stalwart Jonathan Dos Santos, Álvaro Fidalgo, and newly acquired Sánchez. Their backline includes former and current national team members Néstor Araujo and Israel Reyes, and their goalkeeper, Luis Malagón, is the heir apparent to Memo Ochoa for both club and country. In short, América is stacked.
Atlas has a few cards to play as well. Eduardo Aguirre is just one goal behind Martín in the Liga MX scorer’s table with three goals. Midfielder Aldo Rocha, a key player in Atlas’ title run, mans the middle, and Camilo Vargas minded Colombia’s net at the Copa America. The only loss they have sustained this season was to Real Salt Lake in League Cup group play.
The winner advances to the Round of 16, where they will play the winner of St. Louis CITY SC vs. Portland on August 12.
