América vs Mazatlán summary: score, goals, highlights | Liga MX Clausura 2023

Having been held to draws in each of their opening three games of the Clausura 2023, Club América went into matchday four under huge pressure to secure their first three points of the tournament.

First-half frenzy sets up Azteca rout

As the home side against Mazatlán on Saturday, and given their urgent need for a win, Fernando Ortiz’s men were expected to show plenty of attacking intent. What few anticipated was the goal glut Las Águilas delivered at the Estadio Azteca.

After opening the scoring on the half-hour mark in Mexico City, América racked up a total of four goals in 10 frenetic first-half minutes, on their way to a 6-0 thumping that lifted the 13-time Mexican champions to a provisional sixth in the Liga MX standings, ahead of Sunday’s Clausura 2023 action.

Rodríguez breaks deadlock, Valdés doubles lead

América took charge of possession from the off and, after 15 minutes, had already rattled goalkeeper Ricardo Gutiérrez’s crossbar. A quarter of an hour later, América’s purple patch began. Diego Valdés was released into the Mazatlán penalty area, and rounded Gutiérrez. Pushed too far wide to shoot himself, Valdés laid the ball back to the middle of the box, where Jonathan Rodríguez was waiting to guide the ball low into the corner of the net.

América’s second goal arrived two minutes later. Henry Martín reached the byline and played a diagonal ball into the path of Valdés, who fired home. It was a sweet moment for the Chilean, who has endured a poor start to the Clausura 2023.

Martín and Sánchez add third and fourth

In the 34th minute, Rodríguez’s firm, pinpoint cross from the left found Martín, whose header gave Gutiérrez no chance and made it 3-0. Mazatlán’s shell-shocked defence simply had no answer to an irrepressible home attack, and with five minutes left of the first period, Richard Sánchez added a fourth with a fine free-kick. From 25 yards out, the Paraguayan steered a shot right into the corner, beyond the keeper’s reach, to send an incredulous Azteca into raptures.

Martín bags hat-trick as América score six

After the break, Martín scored twice more to secure his hat-trick - the Mexico striker’s third Liga MX treble for the club - as América claimed their biggest win since a 7-0 thrashing of Cruz Azul in August. It is the fourth time in the 2022/23 Mexican league season that Los Azulcremas, who topped the regular-season standings in the Apertura 2022 tournament, have scored five or more in a single game.

“Winning 6-0 will give our confidence a real boost,” head coach Ortiz told reporters post-match. “We’re very happy to have picked up our first win.” The 45-year-old added: “I’ve never had any doubts about my players.”