America, for the fourth title

América will play in another Mexican soccer final after drawing 2-2 on aggregate with Cruz Azul and advancing due to a better position in the standings.

"The game played out exactly as we planned in defense, offense, and transitions; the sequence of matches against Cruz Azul gave us a lot of confidence in how they'd perform," said Paulo Víctor, André Jardine's assistant, in a press conference.

He added that each stage of grief was calculated:

“In these playoff matches, we think of the games in four 45-minute periods. We came back in the second half at a good level; we needed the goals,” he said. “Everything we do in these matches is planned in advance. We have scenarios and modifications in mind for each one. It's nothing new,” the Eagles' assistant coach said.

Paulo Víctor, who has been with Jardine since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, highlighted the significance of the moment the Azulcrema coaching staff is experiencing.

“It's a tremendous honor to be part of this club and this team in general. This entire staff works hard and deserves a lot; we always feel great being here, and it's a source of pride to have this group of coaches. When we left Brazil, we couldn't have imagined reaching four consecutive finals, not even in our wildest dreams,” he added.

The Eagles hope to have Uruguayan striker Brian Rodríguez available for the final.

"Brian is progressing. He'll be available for the remaining two games," he concluded.

Immortal sign

Cristian Borja's goal, which tied the aggregate score for América, sparked jubilation among the fans at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes. Jardine celebrated like any other fan. The manager, who had been sent off in the first leg, repeated the three-finger gesture in reference to the club's three-time championship, an action that was captured on camera and celebrated on social media.

Patron Saint Celebration

In the stands, team owner Emilio Azcárraga Jean enthusiastically celebrated their journey to their fourth consecutive final of the Jardine era.

Accompanied by his wife, Sharon Fastlicht, he watched the match from a box seat and, after the final whistle, celebrated with energetic movements, hugs, and singing "Mi mayor anhelo," a song by Banda MS that has become an anthem for the Águilas.

Hard blow for the blue

Cruz Azul coach Vicente Sánchez clarified that his team was eliminated solely because of goalkeeper Kevin Mier's error.

With the Sky Blues leading 1-0, the Colombian goalkeeper made a mistake in his move and committed a penalty that determined the outcome of the tie.

"We can't blame Mier. We don't lose because of individual mistakes; we're a team, and when we lose, we all lose. I'm hurt, but we have to quickly turn this defeat around," said the Uruguayan coach.

He stressed that his team never had an exclusively defensive stance:

“We knew it was going to be a tight, intense game in which they were going to attack us. We adapted our game plan well, but we didn't play a defensive approach. We got the goal in transition; then their goals came, and we weren't enough,” Sánchez explained.

He said the details defined the meeting:

"The game was going to be decided by details, that's what a semifinal is. We had to be prepared for that, and in the end, it was their turn to win. This defeat should serve as a lesson for us so we don't repeat these mistakes again," he emphasized.

The Machine will have to quickly turn this situation around to prepare for the CONCACAF Champions Cup final against the Vancouver Whitecaps, which will be played on June 1 at Ciudad Universitaria.

One last display

Toluca coach Antonio "Turco" Mohamed is applauding his player Alexis Vega, who has scored three goals and assisted two in the last four games and has become the best player for the scarlet squad.

"Alexis Vega's dream is to be a champion wearing this jersey. We have a lot of kids who haven't been champions, and we took a big leap of faith against Monterrey. We played well in the first and second legs, and he understood these types of matches. He's at a great level, and we ask him to continue like this for another week, for another week," he stated. — EFE AND EL UNIVERSAL