After practically finishing the semi-final series in the first leg, beating the Atlético San Luisat the Alfonso Lastras stadium, the Eagles of Americadirected by André Jardine, qualify for the final of the Mexican championship, after almost four years of absence for the azulcremas.
The first leg of the final will be played next Thursday, December 14, either on the ‘Volcán’ field, if Tigres advances, or at the Ciudad Universitaria Olympic stadium, if Antonio’s América passes: the ‘ Turkish’ Mohamed. The return will take place on Sunday, December 17, at the Azteca stadium.
In 2016, Tigres defeated the Águilas del América in a penalty shootout and won the champions trophy of that Apertura, in which the centenary of the azulcremas was just being celebrated, right on Christmas day.
In 2019, Rayados de Monterrey, then led by Antonio: the ‘Turk’ Mohamed, defeated the Águilas del América on the Azteca stadium field, so those in the Copa will take the field in search of two revenges. Tigres is counted for what happened in 2016, or against Mohamed for what happened in 2019.
América and León played in the final of the 2013 Apertura tournament. Los Panzas Verdes had barely been back in the First Division for a year, so they arrived as favorites for this match. However, they extinguished América’s dream of a two-time championship, after defeating them 5-1 on aggregate.
A year later, those led by Antonio; the ‘Turk’ Mohamed got rid of the thorn and took the Olympic turn at the Azteca stadium, after beating the Tigres 3-1 on aggregate, in a final in which those from San Nicolás lost their heads and ended up the game with only eight players on the field.
Eduardo Sacheri would say that football is like life, but with the small difference that in the game there is always a possibility of revenge. The rivalry between Tigres and América is a clear example of this. The university students, a couple of years after having lost to América, had a second chance and got rid of the thorn, emerging as champions of Mexican soccer in a final that many already considered lost.
The last time América was proclaimed champion of Mexican soccer was in 2018, when they faced Cruz Azul again in a final for the national championship, five years after that memorable night in which Moisés Muñoz became a hero. América beat Cruz Azul again and took the first place medal.
The man who made them champions in 2014 and who left the Águilas del América not in the best way, entered the Azteca stadium field and beat them in a penalty shootout, thus giving the Rayados fans a title after almost ten years of drought.
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