Liga MX Liguilla: the five keys to León vs América first leg

On Wednesday, the quarterfinals of the Apertura 2023 Liguilla in Liga MX kicked off with Club León facing Club América at the Nou Camp Stadium. In a match where both teams delivered an overall better first half, everything remains open for the return leg at the Estadio Azteca on Saturday, 2 December.

In a match that proved challenging from the outset for André Jardine’s team, led by Henry Martin, they managed to come from behind on a couple of occasions to dampen the celebration of the local fans. Nicolás Larcamón’s team now has to win in their visit to the Mexican capital to secure a spot in the domestic championship’s semifinals.

Five key moments from the draw between León and América

1. Early goal by Paul Bellón

In the early stages of the match, the home team secured a corner kick earned by Ángel Mena. The Ecuadorian player took the corner from the right flank, and with the zonal marking of Las Águilas in play, defender Paul Bellón found space between Lichnovsky and Martin to head the ball into Malagón’s net (2′).

2. Immediate response from América

Despite being caught off guard early on, the Azulcremas went on the attack on the right side, with Alejandro Zendejas and Miguel Layún taking it forward. Following an excellent movement inside, the Mexican right-back delivered a low cross to the far post, where Henry arrived with complete freedom to finish (6′).

3. Another blow from León in the first half

Although América had some periods on top in the first half, a long pass from Omar Fernández found Nicolás ‘Diente’ López in the centre of the pitch. The Uruguayan forward escaped, outpacing Luis Fuentes, and lifted the ball over the oncoming América goalkeeper (39′).

4. Henry Martin’s brace

The Mexican national team striker levelled the score at 2-2 early in the second half, lifting the spirits of all Las Águilas fans present at the Nou Camp. The tying play occurred after a phenomenal save by Rodolfo Cota and a clearance off the line by Paul Bellón, both from shots by Quiñones. In the final rebound, however, the América captain finished it off (47′).

5. All to play for in the return leg at the Azteca

Despite having a second half with greater dominance, André Jardine’s team gradually lost attacking strength with some substitutions, as players like Diego Valdés, Henry, and Quiñones left the field. In contrast, others like ‘Cabecita’ Rodríguez, Leo Suárez, and Kevin Álvarez came in but had little impact.