Marchesin Gives America Their 6th Campeon de Campeones Title
In the second game of a doubleheader at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, America faced Tigres in a game meant to crown the Campeon de Campeones of the 2018-2019 season. This match also continued a young rivalry that has been brewing between these two teams as they have consistently found themselves against each other in important league finals or postseason play.
The beginning of the match saw both Aguilas and Tigres struggle as both teams could not find clear paths to the goal and the few opportunities that were presented were squandered; a clear difference from the earlier match played at Dignity Health Sports Park. The one clear opportunity in the first half came from Las Aguilas as Jorge Sanchez received a cross from Renato Ibarra inside the box but Sanchez just missed getting it past Nahuel Guzman.
It was clear that both El Tuca Ferreti and El Piojo Herrera had to get their players out of their early preseason slump and back on the field for the second half to be ready to play this championship game.
The second half saw a completely different style of play as both teams played aggressive and showed they wanted to win the championship. Tigres was the first that came knocking on the goal, in the 48thmin as a corner kick that did not seem dangerous was badly cleared by Bruno Valdez and ricocheted off the post guarded by Agustin Marchesin.
America struck back in the 57thminute as Sanchez sent a cross inside the 18 yard box and over the Tigres defenders that left Henry Martin with a clear header towards the goal of Guzman who made a spectacular diving save.
Towards the end of regulation El Piojo sent his forwards on full attack as they continuously shot towards Guzman’s goal from all angles, but Guzman demonstrated why he is considered one of the best goalkeepers in Liga MX and stopped all attempts by America’s forwards.
In a last minute effort to avoid a penalty shootout America’s youngest player on the field Sebastian Cordova sent a curving shot during the 94thminute that sent Guzman flying and steering the ball way from goal to keep his team in the game.
After an exciting second half of play, the match ended in a 0-0 draw during regulation and we were headed towards a penalty shootout. An opportunity for two of the best goalkeepers in the league to shine, and they definitely showed their skills.
Marchesin and Guzman kept their teams in the penalty shootout as both saved their goals, blocking a combined 7 shots sending the penalty shootout into the 9thshot taker for each team.
Marchesin, who just had won the Balóon de Oro for best goalkeeper of the league, finally took it upon himself as America’s 9thpenalty shooter and scored the winning kick to give Las Aguilas the 6-5 penalty shootout win and their 6th Campeón de Campeones.
