Necaxa Holds América to a Draw as ‘La Pantera’ Debuts with a Goal
The clash between Necaxa and América in Jornada 3 of the Liga MX Apertura 2025 turned out to be a tight and thrilling affair that ended in a 1-1 draw, and there was no shortage of drama at the Estadio Victoria. This match didn’t just wrap up the Saturday games—it also brought some exciting moments that fans will be talking about for a while.
América’s Colombian reinforcement, José ‘La Pantera’ Zúñiga, made headlines by scoring his very first goal for the club. It happened in the 26th minute, and the build-up was pure class: Álvaro Fidalgo sent a clever through ball into the box, which was then centered beautifully by Alexis Gutiérrez. Zúñiga was in the right spot at the right time and finished with confidence to put the visitors ahead 1-0.
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But Necaxa had no intention of letting the Eagles fly too high. Just before halftime, in the 43rd minute, Diber Cambindo found the equalizer. That goal not only secured a point for the Rayos but also continued a trend: Necaxa has now gone four straight games without losing to América in Liga MX play. In fact, América hasn’t been able to beat Necaxa in Aguascalientes since the Apertura 2022 season.
Both teams had their chances to win it. América came close with a great effort by Diego Violante, but Necaxa’s goalkeeper, Unsain, pulled off a stunning save to keep the game level. That single moment proved vital, and it sent both sides into the upcoming Leagues Cup break sharing the spoils.
Now, Necaxa shifts its focus to a high-profile matchup against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup. Meanwhile, América has a packed schedule coming up—first taking on Real Salt Lake, then Minnesota United, and finally Portland Timbers in the Leagues Cup group stage. After that, they’ll return to Liga MX action to host Querétaro on August 9 and then face Tigres in a headline clash on August 16.
So while Zúñiga’s debut goal gave América fans a glimpse of hope, it wasn’t enough to break Necaxa’s hold over them. And with bigger challenges on the horizon, both teams will need to sharpen their game quickly.
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