Action from the Liga MX Clausura match between visiting Club America (yellow jersey) and Queretaro on April 15, 2016, in Queretaro, Mexico. (Photo: Mexsport)
QUERETARO, Mexico – Club America saw its five-game Liga MX Clausura winning streak end and missed an opportunity to clinch a postseason berth with a 1-0 loss at Queretaro on Friday in front of 30,718 fans at the Estadio Corregidora.
Despite the result, the Aguilas (8W-3D-3L, 27 points) remained in second place – two points ahead of idle Pachuca (7-4-2, 25) -- while the host (4-4-6, 16) moved up to the 10th in the table, just two points off the playoff pace.
With a visit to Tigres for the first leg of their Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League final slated for Wednesday, Club America fielded a somewhat altered starting XI. Head coach Ignacio Ambriz rested defenders Paolo Goltz and Paul Aguilar, while goalkeeper Moises Muñoz was out with a sprained right ankle.
Queretaro welcomed back star forward Emanuel Villa, who returned from an injury that saw him miss the SCCL semifinals against Tigres. The 34-year-old’s reemergence proved pivotal, as he assisted on the game’s only goal in the 37th minute.
His flicked header off a long pass out of the back found Yerson Candelo on the right. The Colombian raced in into the box and lofted a right-footed chip over goalkeeper Hugo Gonzalez from 11-yards out.
Club America, the defending SCCL champion, was shutout for the first time in 13 domestic outings.
