Cruz Azul take the Clásico Joven after fierce comeback

The ‘Clásico Joven’ drew a full house on Saturday night at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, where Cruz Azul beat América 2–1 to close out Matchday 13 of the 2025 Apertura. Goals from Gabriel Fernández and Ignacio “Nacho” Rivero gave Nicolás Larcamón’s side the win, while Brian Rodríguez scored for América. Referee Jesús López Valle oversaw the match. After the result, América sit on 27 points, while Cruz Azul move to 28.

A fierce first half

The opening minutes were spent cautiously, both sides studying each other. Cruz Azul threatened first in the 6th minute through Carlos Rodolfo Rotondi, but Luis Ángel Malagón reacted well in goal. Four minutes later, the home side came close again with a sequence of shots from Luka Romero, Rotondi, and Carlos Rodríguez that América narrowly escaped. At the 18th minute, Andrés Gudiño saved Cruz Azul with a spectacular one-on-one stop against an América striker.

The visitors broke the deadlock at the half-hour mark when Brian Rodríguez slipped past Gudiño to make it 1–0. Just two minutes later, Gabriel “Toro” Fernández struck back immediately to level the score 1–1. Both teams created more chances before halftime, but the first 45 ended even.

Rivero seals the win

Three minutes into the second half, Luka Romero fired a shot that flew just wide of Malagón’s left post. Cruz Azul began to dominate possession, while André Jardine’s América struggled to find attacking rhythm.

Then came the comic-book moment: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No – it’s Saint-Maximin! The Frenchman, welcomed like a superhero by the crowd, entered in the 64th minute but lost the ball on his first dribble. Just three minutes later, substitute Nacho Rivero became the hero, blasting home a right-footed strike to give Cruz Azul the lead and, ultimately, the win. Larcamón had found the answer on his bench.

The match ended 2–1 for Cruz Azul. Next up in the midweek double fixture, América will host Puebla at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes on Tuesday, while Cruz Azul travel to Aguascalientes to face Necaxa.First Half

The first few minutes were merely a study, Cruz Azul in the 6th minute, had the first arrival through Carlos Rodolfo Rotondi, Luis Ángel Malagón resolved in the back. In the 10th minute a new arrival from Celeste with shots from Luka Romero, Rotondi and Carlos Rodríguez saved the Coapa team. América in the 18th minute and Andrés Gudiño resolved in spectacular fashion in the one-on-one against an offensive azulcrema.

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Cruz Azul

• 1 Andrés Gudiño
• 6 Erik Lira
• 2 Jorge Sánchez
• 5 Jesús Gilberto Orozco Chiquete
• 29 Rodolfo Rotondi
• 161 Jorge Rodarte (45')
• 19 Carlos Rodríguez (82')
• 20 José Paradela
• 8 Lorenzo Faravelli (62')
• 18 Luka Romero (62')
• 21 Gabriel Fernandez (82')
• Substitutes
• 7 Mateusz Bogusz
• 17 Amaury Garcia Moreno (82')
• 23 Kevin Mier
• 15 Ignacio Rivero (62')
• 194 Amaury Morales
• 200 Emmanuel Sanchez
• 4 Willer Ditta (45')
• 3 Omar Campos
• 16 Ángel Márquez (62')
• 9 Angel Sepúlveda (82')

América

• 1 Luis Malagón
• 29 Roman Juarez del Castillo (78')
• 26 Cristian Borja
• 5 Kevin Álvarez
• 4 Sebastián Cáceres
• 20 Alexis Gutiérrez
• 28 Erick Sanchez (78')
• 3 Israel Reyes
• 11 Víctor Dávila (27')
• 7 Brian Rodríguez (62')
• 27 Aguirre
• Substitutes
• 8 Álvaro Fidalgo Fernández (45')
• 32 Miguel Vázquez
• 15 Ralph Orquin
• 214 Patricio Salas (78')
• 13 Alan Cervantes (78')
• 97 Saint-Maximin (62')
• 10 Alejandro Zendejas (45')
• 35 Snatiago Naveda Lara
• 31 Igor Lichnovsky
• 30 Rodolfo Cota

Substitutions

Álex Zendejas (27', Víctor Dávila), Álvaro Fidalgo (45', Álex Zendejas), Willer Ditta (45', Jorge Rodarte), Allan Saint-Maximin (62', Brian Rodríguez), Jeremy Márquez (62', Luka Romero), Ignacio Rivero (62', Lorenzo Faravelli), Alan Cervantes (78', Ramón Juárez), Patricio Salas (78', Érick Sánchez), Amaury García (82', Carlos Rodríguez), Ángel Sepúlveda (82', Gabriel Fernández)

Goals

0-1, 30': Brian Rodríguez, 1-1, 32': Gabriel Fernandez, 2-1, 66': Ignacio Rivero

Cards

Referee: Jesús Rafael López Valle
VAR Referee: Diana Pérez Borja, Edgar Magdaleno Castrejon
Jorge Rodarte (39',Yellow), Sebastián Cáceres (50',Yellow), Ignacio Rivero (75',Yellow)

Standings

Standings	Pts.	P	W	D	L
1 TOL	31	13	10	1	2
2 CZA	28	13	8	4	1
3 AME	27	13	8	3	2
4 MTY	27	13	8	3	2
5 TIG	26	13	7	5	1

Standings	Pts.	P	W	D	L
1 TOL	31	13	10	1	2
2 CZA	28	13	8	4	1
3 AME	27	13	8	3	2
4 MTY	27	13	8	3	2
5 TIG	26	13	7	5	1