Club America dropped a tough 1-2 decision to Pachuca at home in Mexico City, a frustrating “poor showing” that soured what was supposed to be a night honoring legend Guillermo ‘Memo’ Ochoa. This defeat marks the Aguilas’ second loss of the season, and Pachuca looked like the better team from start to finish.
VAR Saves America’s Bacon (Literally?)
The night started with America trying to make something happen quickly. Kevin Alvarez fired wide within the first minute, and Oscar Perea followed suit shortly after. Pachuca didn’t get their first shot until the seventh minute, and Salomon Rondon fouled Santiago Ramos, ending that chance fast. But the visitors kept pushing. Oussama Idrissi earned a corner, and then in the 12th minute, a huge defensive mistake cost America big time. Erick ‘Chiquito’ Sanchez tried to help out on defense but mistakenly passed the ball right to Alan Bautista, who didn’t miss. He blasted it past Luis Angel Malagon, and just like that, Pachuca was up 1-0.
Then, things almost went from bad to worse. Pachuca was awarded a penalty after Malagon hit a Tuzos player in the head. The referee immediately went to VAR, and the replay showed a chaotic scene: Malagon clashing with a white jersey, Santiago Bueno pulling a white jersey, and Carlos Alvarez covering his mouth while talking to an opponent. In Liga MX, covering your mouth like that when speaking to a rival is a red card offense. Shockingly, the referee came back, announced no penalty, and did not eject Alvarez despite the clear violation. America caught a break, pure and simple. The rest of the half saw Pachuca gain confidence and look to double their lead, while the Aguilas just seemed to be waiting for the whistle.
Regrouping Fast Is the Only Option
Pachuca, clearly the superior side on the night, walked out of Banorte Stadium with a deserved 1-2 victory. For the Aguilas, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, especially at home on a night that was meant for celebration. They were surrounded by white jerseys any time they got near the box and just couldn’t find their rhythm.
Now, Club America has to regroup at lightning speed. Their next match is a weekday game against Tijuana. Pachuca, on the other hand, gets a full week of rest before they face Tigres on Saturday, which has to be a kick in the teeth for America fans. This team needs to figure out what went wrong tonight, and they need to do it yesterday.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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