Mexico City, Mexico – Club América has taken a crucial 1-0 lead against Xolos de Tijuana at halftime in their highly anticipated Liga MX Apertura 2025 Jornada 2 match. The game, played on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, saw Brian Rodríguez convert a penalty in the 35th minute to give the Águilas the advantage.
The match kicked off at 19:00 hours Central Mexico time, marking an early start to the second week of the Apertura 2025 tournament. For Club América, this fixture was vital as they sought their first victory of the season after a 1-1 draw against Bravos de Juárez in Jornada 1. The draw left them in seventh place with one point heading into this game, as reported by Mediotiempo and ESPN Deportes.
The first half was marked by intense action and several fouls. América’s breakthrough came after Sebastián Cáceres was fouled inside the box, leading to a penalty awarded against Aarón Mejía of Tijuana. Brian Rodríguez stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner, putting América ahead. Despite several attempts from both sides, including a shot off the post by Jackson Porozo for Tijuana in the 45th minute, the score remained 1-0 at the break.
Under the guidance of coach André Jardine, América faced this match with a significantly depleted squad. Key players like Henry Martín were on the injury list. While Mediotiempo listed Álvaro Fidalgo as injured, he was notably included in the starting lineup according to ESPN Deportes and TV Azteca Deportes. Additionally, Erick Sánchez was unavailable due to an expulsion in the previous match, while Luis Ángel Malagón and Israel Reyes were still on rest following their participation in the Copa Oro. The team’s starting XI featured Rodolfo Cota in goal, with a defensive line of Kevin Álvarez, Ralph Orquin, Igor Lichnovsky, and Sebastián Cáceres. The midfield included Jonathan Dos Santos, Alexis Gutiérrez, and Álvaro Fidalgo, supporting an attack led by Alejandro Zendejas, Brian Rodríguez, and Rodrigo Aguirre.
On the other side, Xolos de Tijuana, under their new coach Sebastián ‘El Loco’ Abreu, entered the game with confidence, having secured a 1-0 victory against Querétaro in Jornada 1. This win placed them sixth in the league standings with three points. Tijuana’s lineup included José Rodríguez in goal, a defensive setup of Jesús Vega, Unai Bilbao, Jackson Porozo, and Rafael Fernández. The midfield comprised Iván Tona, Kevin Castañeda, Ramiro Árciga, Domingo Blanco, and Frank Boya, with Adonis Preciado leading the attack.
A notable storyline for this encounter was the presence of Raúl ‘La Pantera’ Zúñiga, Tijuana’s top scorer from the Clausura 2025, who recently signed with América. While he was listed in some potential lineups, he did not feature in the confirmed starting XI for América in this match.
Historically, Club América has held a significant advantage over Tijuana. In 31 previous encounters, América boasts 17 victories compared to Tijuana’s six, with eight matches ending in a draw. The last five meetings have seen América win twice, with three draws and no victories for Tijuana, as detailed by Marca México.
Fans could follow the action live on Canal 5 and TUDN, with streaming options available on VIX Premium. The half-time lead provides América with a strong position as they look to secure their first three points of the Apertura 2025 season.
