Esmeraldas and Azulcremas collide in the opening chapter of the quarter-finals, and GOAL delivers the most notable moments from a match that set the stage for a riveting series.
The Fiesta Grande of Mexican football roared back to life with a thrilling encounter featuring León and América, kicking off the opening leg of the 2023 Liga MX quarterfinals. The excitement began in the nation’s capital as the hosts sought to seize control of the tie on home soil, aiming to tilt the balance in their favor before the return leg.
León earned their place in this phase by advancing through the Play-In round, a checkpoint that sent Santos Laguna packing on the way. Under the guidance of Nicolás Larcamón, the team arrived eager to establish an advantage at home and put pressure on their opponents in front of their supporters.
América, meanwhile, endured a 20-day wait between league matches, a layoff that could either sharpen their focus or disrupt their rhythm heading into a critical knockout clash. The delay added an extra layer of complexity to what promised to be a high-stakes duel.
GOAL presents a minute-by-minute narrative of the action and highlights the best plays from the match, breaking down key stages, pivotal moments, and standout performances that defined the night.
LEÓN VS AMÉRICA: MINUTE BY MINUTE
HOW TO WATCH ON TV AND APPS
Analysts and fans could tune in through open television on Fox Sports and Claro Sports, with online streaming available via ViX’s app, allowing viewers to follow every pass, shot, and save in real time.
ALIGNMENTS
LEÓN
Rodolfo Cota; Iván Moreno, Adonis Frías, William Tesillo, Paul Bellón; Ángel Mena, Omar Fernández, José Rodríguez, Elías Hernández; Nicolás López and Federico Viñas.
AMÉRICA
Luis Ángel Malagón; Miguel Layún, Igor Lichnovsky, Sebastián Cáceres, Luis Fuentes; Jonathan dos Santos, Álvaro Fidalgo; Alejandro Zendejas, Diego Valdés, Julián Quiñones and Henry Martín.
THE SUMMARY
Source: Goal