The Mexico City newspapers, and El Universal in particular, were less concerned with Club America’s upcoming CONCACAF Champions League final against Montreal Impact in their Sunday editions than the dismantling they suffered at the hands of Ronaldinho and Queretaro on Saturday.
The former Brazil international scored twice at Estadio Azteca, where Montreal will play on Wednesday, but by the time he tallied his first, in the 86th minute, America were committing themselves high up the park in an effort to halve a 2-0 deficit.
Ronaldinho had only to tap Danilinho’s lateral pass into the back of the net to put the game out of reach, and in the second minute of stoppage time he drilled Angel Sepulveda’s lay-off past Hugo Gonzalez to complete the trouncing.
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In his post-match remarks America manager Gustavo Matosas admitted he found his side’s defensive form “worrying,” especially as it came less than a month after a 4-0 loss at Veracruz, which was preceded by a 3-0 loss to Costa Rican outfit Herediano in the Concachampions, how the CONCACAF Champions League is commonly referred to in Mexico.
But a 6-0 victory in the return leg vs. Herdiano at Azteca ensured progression for the five-time CONCACAF Champions Cup winners, who have never lost a major, continental final. It also marked out this America team as one that can just as easily drop a dud as blow its opposition to smithereens.
And with the dud out of the way Matosas is already anticipating the response.
“Defeats are always painful, but it came at a good time,” he said. “We know that revenge is Wednesday.”
Look out, Montreal.
In two of their three Liguilla series (the final knockout round of the Mexican domestic league sesson) en route to the 2014 championship—their Mexican-record 12th title—America were beaten in the first leg before storming back in the return match. They lost 1-0 at quarterfinal rivals Pumas before overturning the result at the Azteca, and in the final against Tigres they prevailed 3-0 in Mexico City after falling 1-0 in San Nicolas de los Garza.
Michael Arroyo, Pablo Aguilar and Oribe Peralta scored the goals in the decisive match, and all three will be involved against Montreal in Wednesday’s first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final.
Peralta, who missed the Queretaro embarrassment with a muscle injury, is expected to start alongside fellow striker Dario Benedetto, whose quadruple at home to Herediano in the semifinal second leg set up the appointment with Montreal.
One of the assist leaders in the ongoing Mexican season, Benedetto was part of Matosas’ recruitment drive when the 47-year-old succeeded outgoing America boss Antonio Mohamed in December. Former Santos Laguna forward Darwin Quintero also joined Las Aguilas prior to the domestic season restart, as did Paraguay left fullback Miguel Samudio.
If America have been wildly unpredictable in 2015 than the high-profile additions—never mind a managerial merry-go-round that has spun through Miguel Herrera, Mohamed and now Matosas in less than two years—have no doubt been at least partially responsible.
But Matosas still has one of the biggest clubs in CONCACAF positioned for yet another Liguilla berth, and a first continental triumph in 11 years would complete an impressive run of silverware unprecedented since the late 1980s.
Montreal can prepare as earnestly and intentionally as possible, and, indeed, they’ve already been in Mexico City a week and have tailored their diets, training and rest periods to maximize performance at altitude.
In the end, however, it’s not about them.
It’s about Club America and which Club America—the one shellacked by Queretaro or the one that brought their fury to bear against Herediano—turn up on Wednesday. Because the only way the Mexican giants will lose this final is if they beat themselves.
Jerrad Peters is a Winnipeg-based writer. Follow him on Twitter