América picked up a significant victory on their visit to Estadio Victoria, beating Necaxa 4-2 in a Liga BBVA MX clash that had everything: early goals, penalties at both ends, and a closing stretch controlled by Las Águilas, who added another win in their fight for the top of the tournament while the Rayos remain mired in the lower reaches of the standings.
How the match went
The match at Estadio Victoria developed at a frantic pace in the first half, with Necaxa showing plenty of courage as the home side and América responding forcefully every time they had the ball. The Rayos went ahead before the half-hour mark, but the visitors reacted immediately and went into the break in front thanks to a long and productive stoppage time.
The second half began with América extending their lead and controlling the tempo of the match, while Necaxa tried to regroup with changes to their attack. However, the home side never managed to level the proceedings, and the capital club managed the advantage comfortably until the final whistle, backed by a fourth goal that came from the penalty spot in the second half.
Goals and key moments
The first yellow-card warning of the match came in the 33rd minute, when Érick Sánchez was booked for América. Four minutes later, in the 37th minute, Owen González put Necaxa ahead with a goal that ignited Estadio Victoria and sparked hope among the home fans.
The joy didn't last long: in the 43rd minute, Julián Carranza converted a penalty to extend Necaxa's lead to 2-0, in what looked like a dream afternoon for the Rayos. But the comeback began in stoppage time, with an extended 45'+10' period in which Henry Martín scored from the penalty spot for América, putting his side firmly back in contention before halftime.
In the second half, América completed the turnaround: in the 56th minute, Miguel Borja made it 2-2 on the scoreboard. The visitors then took total control of the match, and in the closing stages, in the 75th minute, Henry Martín scored his personal brace from the penalty spot, sealing the final 2-4 that would stand as the definitive result of the match.
The numbers
Necaxa were superior in ball possession, with 53% compared to América's 47%, and also led in completed passes (367 to 308) and total passes (464 to 398), reflecting a team that sought to control the rhythm of the game from the back.
However, América were more effective in the final third: they generated 20 shots to the home side's 15, and 9 of those attempts were on target, compared to 6 for Necaxa. The Rayos, meanwhile, committed more fouls (16 to 6) and finished with three yellow cards — for Raúl Martínez, Diego Ochoa, and Javier Ruiz — compared to América's two bookings, for Érick Sánchez and Cristián Borja. Neither team saw a red card.
How the table stands
With this result, América reach 20 points from 9 matches played (6 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss), sitting just behind Toluca, who also lead with 20 points but from 10 matches. Las Águilas boast a goal difference of +11, identical to that of the Mexico State side, and remain in direct contention for first place.
Necaxa, on the other hand, deepen their poor run: they remain in 17th place in the standings with just 8 points from 10 matchdays (2 wins, 2 draws, 6 losses) and a negative goal difference of -8. This defeat adds to a worrying streak, as the Rayos have failed to win in their last five matches, accumulating four losses and one draw in that span.
Our take
Our take is that this match clearly portrays the season both teams are having. Necaxa showed they can compete on equal terms for stretches, even going ahead twice on the scoreboard against a direct rival for the top spots, but they still lack the solidity needed to hold onto leads, something their position in the table confirms match after match.
On América's side, the ability to recover from a 0-2 deficit and settle the match with decisive figures like Henry Martín and Miguel Borja speaks to a squad with enough quality to fight for the title. Efficiency from the penalty spot, with two conversions by Henry Martín, ended up being the difference on an afternoon when Necaxa had the arguments but not the know-how to sustain them.
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