Time and again: The repeated blunder that put paid to América in 2025
Las Águilas are to end the calendar year empty-handed - and there is a common denominator in a number of the team’s failures.
2025 ended as a year to erase from memory at Coapa. After losing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, missing out on a historic fourth straight Liga MX title in the Clausura 2025, failing to secure a Club World Cup berth, and falling short in the Campeón de Campeones, América squandered its last shot at redemption by crashing out in the Apertura 2025 quarterfinals at the hands of Monterrey.
A crushing blow for André Jardine’s tenure, as the Brazilian went from never losing back-to-back knockout ties to dropping six straight as Las Águilas’ head coach.
Jardine’s cardinal sin
Across this string of failures, beyond the team’s collective dip in form and the struggles of key players, one recurring theme stood out in several of those eliminations: with the lead in hand, Jardine repeatedly chose to sit deep and prioritize defending - a tactical trademark that ultimately doomed Los Azulcremas.
- Cruz Azul 2-1 América | CONCACAF Champions Cup QF, 2nd leg
With the aggregate score level at one apiece and América advancing on away goals, Jardine opted to shore up the back line with a controversial move: pulling playmaker Diego Valdés to bring on veteran center back Néstor Araujo. The gamble backfired spectacularly, exposing Araujo and effectively ending his role in the squad from that day forward.
- LAFC 2-1 América - Club World Cup play-in
A similar scenario: América clinging to a one-goal edge as the clock wound down. Jardine made two late substitutions on a corner kick, sacrificing attackers Alejandro Zendejas and Rodrigo Aguirre for defenders Cristian Calderón and Miguel Vázquez. LAFC equalized in stoppage time and completed the comeback in extra time.
89' LAFC GET THEIR GOAL IN THE FINAL MINUTES 🤯
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 1, 2025
Watch the @FIFACWC Play-In match NOW | FREE | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/8BV7QYw92T
- América 2-1 Monterrey - Apertura 2025 QF, 2nd leg
Deadlocked 2-2 on aggregate, América held the tiebreaker thanks to regular-season standings. After seeing what looked like the decisive third goal ruled out, Jardine once again abandoned the attack to bunker in - even with a man advantage. Las Águilas were pinned in their own box, and in added time, Germán Berterame struck the fatal blow for Monterrey.
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