MEXICO -- Óscar Jiménez is set to be América's starting goalkeeper for the third week of the Apertura 2019, with Agustín Marchesín's departure. However, despite having been with the Águilas for two years, it would be his debut in the Liga MX with the blue and cream, something unusual in the institution since 2004, as it only resembles Leonín Pineda, who did not receive an opportunity in the first team.
Jiménez has had participation in the Sub-20 and in the Copa MX with the Coapa team, but not in the top flight. In the first category, he has played 36 matches; while in the second, he has been in seven matches.
Since 2004, when Guillermo Ochoa made his debut, except for Leonín Pineda, all substitute goalkeepers have had the opportunity to be under the three posts of América in the domestic championship at least once.
Ochoa took over the starting position when Adolfo Ríos was injured in the Clausura 2004. Memo was the star goalkeeper until 2011 when he left for European soccer, but at that time his substitutes had minutes of play.
Ricardo Martínez and Diego Saja were the first to fight for a spot. Martínez played six matches and Saja four. Later, Juan de Dios Ibarra was on the bench but jumped onto the field for one match.
In 2006, Armando Navarrete came out. He was behind Ochoa until 2011, but in five years, he played 29 games.
With Memo's departure to Europe, Navarrete remained as the starting goalkeeper for the Apertura 2011, competing with Hugo González and Leonín Pineda. The current Necaxa goalkeeper stayed with the institution, but Pineda left without any playing time.
After that semester, Navarrete left for Atlante and Moisés Muñoz arrived, who competed with González for the position until 2016. During that time, 10 tournaments were played, and Muñoz became the starting goalkeeper in eight of them.
In the Clausura 2017, América signed Agustín Marchesín and Óscar Jiménez. The Argentine took over the goal and played all the Liga matches since then. Now, the Mexican will have the opportunity to jump in as a starter next Saturday against Tijuana, in what would be his first minutes in the Primera División with the América jersey.
Jiménez and his experience in Liga BBVA MX
América is the second Primera División team that Óscar Jiménez has represented. Before joining the Águilas, he was with Chiapas, where he made his debut in 2013 and stayed until 2016, the year he signed with the blue and cream. In the three years he was in Chiapas, he played 69 matches in the top flight, four of which were playoff matches and the rest were regular phase matches.