América vs Atlético San Luis summary: score, goals, highlights | Clausura 2023 playoffs

Atlético San Luis exited the Clausura 2023 with their heads held high on Saturday, going out of the playoffs despite defeating Club América in the sides’ quarter-final second leg at the Estadio Azteca.

André Jardine’s men dominated their hosts in the first half in Mexico City, scoring twice to level the aggregate score at 3-3 - albeit América’s higher regular-season position would still have taken Las Águilas through. América improved after the break, and reduced the arrears on the night courtesy of a late Brian Rodríguez goal.

San Luis supreme in dominant first half

Atlético immediately set about creating the early chances, Jhon Murillo sending a header just past the post with only two minutes on the clock. A few minutes later, Vitinho then spurned a fine opportunity to open the scoring for the visitors, shooting off target when well-placed inside the América box.

And with just over a quarter of an hour played, San Luis’ first-half pressure yielded the breakthrough. Making up for his mistake in América’s 3-1 first leg win in midweek, Unai Bilbao met Juan Manuel Sanabria’s left-wing corner to place a firm header past goalkeeper Luis Malagón and low into the corner.

Some 15 minutes later, a second San Luis strike left the underdogs just one goal away from a place in the semi-finals. Driving towards the right-hand byline, Vitinho fizzed a cross onto the head of Léo Bonatini, who arrowed in a glancing effort. América sought to hit back quickly, but Diego Valdés, Federico Viñas and Leonardo Suárez all spurned chances, and San Luis went in for half time 2-0 up.

Rodríguez strike settles América’s jitters

Ahead of the second half, América boss Fernando Ortiz introduced Alejandro Zendejas, who had missed the 13-time Mexican champions’ previous two games. As the hosts struggled to create clear opportunities, Ortiz then also threw on Brian Rodríguez in place of Jonathan Rodríguez. San Luis, for their part, posed far less of a threat to Malagón’s goal in the second 45.

With two minutes remaining, Brian Rodríguez calmed América’s nerves, restoring their aggregate lead and making sure of their place in the last four. After a long-range shot by Valdés, Atlético goalkeeper Andrés Sánchez’s parry fell straight to Rodríguez, who fired into the net from 10 yards out.

Who’s up next for América?

Having survived a scare at the Azteca, América find themselves one step away from the Clausura 2023 final. Los Azul-Cremas now wait to find out the identity of their semi-final opponents, who will come from the quarter-final ties between Toluca and Tigres, and Chivas Guadalajara and Atlas. Tigres and Atlas hold 4-1 and 1-0 leads, respectively, heading into Sunday’s second legs.