Club América survived a high-scoring Leagues Cup battle against Minnesota United, winning 8-7 in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw in regulation at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday.
A back-and-forth 90 minutes
Minnesota United struck first in the 16th minute through Tani Oluwaseyi, and doubled their lead via Bongokuhle Hlongwane in the 31st minute. But América clawed back into the match just before halftime when Michael Boxall accidentally redirected the ball into his own net.
The second half saw an intense exchange:
- Raúl Zúñiga equalized for América with a powerful header in the 53rd minute.
- Carlos Harvey gave Minnesota the lead again in the 65th.
- Sebastián Cáceres saved América with a dramatic 90th-minute goal to level it 3-3.
Penalty shootout drama
With the match tied, the game went directly to penalties. Both teams were nearly perfect from the spot until a decisive moment:
- América converted all 8 of their penalties.
- Goalkeeper Luis Malagón saved the final attempt from Nicolás Romero, sealing the 8-7 shootout victory.
Notable penalty scorers for América:
- Brian Rodríguez
- Álex Zendejas
- Sebastián Cáceres
- Cristián Borja
- Rodrigo Aguirre
- Érick Sánchez
- Israel Reyes
- Isaías Violante (winner)
What this means for Leagues Cup standings
Despite the win, América only secured 2 points due to the match going to penalties, while Minnesota United earned 1 point. Both teams still have group matches left, but América’s experience and late-game composure keep them firmly in contention.
Match stats snapshot
- Final Score: América 3 (8), Minnesota 3 (7)
- Shots on target: América – 7 | Minnesota – 8
- Possession: Slight edge to América
- Man of the Match: Luis Malagón (GK, América) – crucial penalty save
What’s next?
Both teams will return to action in their respective group finales with advancement on the line. With the Leagues Cup knockout rounds looming, every point now matters.
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