Club América Hosts Pachuca in Liga MX Amid Tribute to Guillermo Ochoa

Club América faces the Pachuca Tuzos this Sunday at Estadio Banorte for Week 14 of the Liga MX Apertura 2026 tournament. The match serves as the centerpiece for a major special tribute honoring legendary Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who announced his retirement following the World Cup.

The pre-match festivities for Ochoa featured multiple recognitions from both the club and supporters. América temporarily placed Ochoa's name on the facade of Estadio Banorte and revealed a dedicated mural showcasing the former goalkeeper alongside the stadium and an eagle. Fans also displayed a large tifo featuring Ochoa and the inscription "Por s13mpre," while players warmed up in commemorative shirts and Ochoa performed the ceremonial coin toss.

Entering the fixture, América sits comfortably at the top of the league standings with 27 points, coming off a dominant 5-2 victory over Atlas. Managed by Guillermo Almada, the squad has accumulated 32 goals across 12 matches this season, putting them within striking distance of the club's all-time short-tournament scoring record of 38 goals set in the Clausura 2005 under Mario Carrillo.

The team had to make a last-minute adjustment to the starting lineup due to an injury setback. American attacker Alejandro Zendejas was left out of the squad entirely after failing to recover from recent adductor discomfort experienced during training, prompting coach Almada to avoid risking the player.

To compensate for the absence of Zendejas, the technical staff inserted Colombian player Oscar Perea into the starting formation alongside Brian Rodríguez and Carlos Álvarez. Meanwhile, Henry Martín returned to the starting eleven to wear the captain's armband, replacing Miguel Borja in the attack.

On the opposing side, Pachuca arrived at the capital looking to reverse a difficult run of form. The Tuzos entered the match in 16th place in the standings with 13 points, following a recent 2-1 defeat against Monterrey and a winless streak in their previous five outings. Despite their struggles, Pachuca relies heavily on veteran forward Salomón Rondón, who leads the league's scoring chart with 13 goals.

The match officials, led by central referee Maximiliano Quintero Hernández, oversaw the kickoff under mild weather conditions with temperatures hovering around 16 degrees Celsius. As the game unfolded, América sought to extend its lead at the summit of the Apertura 2026 championship while celebrating one of the most iconic figures in the history of the institution.