Disappointing America Held to 1-1 Draw by Puebla

For two consecutive matches, America failed to find the back of the net against Necaxa and Monterrey, showing a lack of spark. Prior to these matches, the Eagles were cruising in the playoffs. Some could argue that their setbacks were due to overconfidence.

Therefore, today's match was of vital importance as it would serve as a platform to regain momentum and secure a top-three position in the league. However, America seems to have lost its luck.

With numerous inaccuracies and doubts in their offensive game, America drew 1-1 with Puebla. Mateus Uribe put the home team ahead in the 36th minute, but Felix Micolta took advantage of America's decline in the final minutes to equalize, making it difficult for them to qualify for the playoffs.

MOI'S GIFT

Securing a spot in the playoffs was a top priority for America. To achieve this, they needed to correct the errors in their offensive game, which they struggled to address when their previous opponents closed them down and pressed their build-up play.

That's why, from the early minutes of the game, the blue and yellow side started to gain territorial advantage. Miguel Samudio made a left-wing run that was deflected by the Puebla defense for a corner kick.

Manager "El Ojitos" Meza deployed a five-man defensive line to make things difficult for their opponent. Recognizing this and having a good understanding of Moises Munoz's weaknesses, the America players opted to test their former goalkeeper with long-range shots. The first attempt came from Diego Lainez, but his shot ended up in the hands of Moi.

America's dominance was clear. In just 20 minutes, Puebla had only one chance through Lucas Cavallini, which was saved by the goalkeeper. Immediately after, America launched a counter-attack led by Mateus Uribe, but he was brought down in the box, resulting in a free kick for the home team. Darwin Quintero took the set-piece and found Oribe Peralta's head, but his shot hit the crossbar, denying them a goal.

After that opportunity, America looked for alternatives, but their imprecision combined with the pressure from Puebla hindered them. Unable to penetrate the six-yard box, the home team resorted once again to long-range shots, and it was from one of these attempts that they found the breakthrough. In the 36th minute, Uribe received the ball in midfield and unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box that Moises Munoz attempted to save, but the ball went through his legs, giving his former team a 1-0 lead at halftime.

PUEBLA RUINS THE VICTORY

America came out in the second half looking to extend their lead. It was either go all-in for a victory or settle for a lackluster win. Another failed header from Peralta and another long-range effort from Lainez that Moi saved comfortably summed up America's offensive approach.

Puebla was nowhere to be seen in attack, as their focus was solely on preventing America from making any progress. Once again, in the 62nd minute, Mateus tested the Puebla goal with a shot from outside the box, but it narrowly missed the target.

The pace of the game started to drop. America struggled to come up with a clear idea on how to harm their opponents as their long-range attempts no longer caught Munoz by surprise. As the home team's performance declined, Puebla gained better positioning on the field and began searching for an equalizer.

In the 73rd minute, Puebla had a free kick and Bryan Angulo tried to connect with the ball, but Bruno Valdez helped Agustin Marchesin to divert the shot to the corner. However, ten minutes later, the camoteros found their reward. From a corner kick, Felix Micolta headed the ball into the net to level the score.

That was all that happened in the match. America remained shocked and disconnected from the game. They failed to generate any ideas to secure victory. With very little effort, America remains in the playoffs.