America clinches second straight Liga MX title in controversial fashion

The final turned on a controversial second-half penalty

For the second straight time, Club América is champion of Mexico.

América clinched the Liga MX Clausura title on Sunday night, defeating Cruz Azul 1-0 in the second leg of the final at the Estadio Azteca.

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, América became bicampeón with a 2-1 aggregate win over its Mexico City rival.

But the victory was not without controversy.

The match turned on a moment in the 70th minute. U.S. men’s national team winger Alejandro Zendejas won a battle with Carlos Rotondi on the right flank and managed to sneak a pass through to Israel Reyes.

Reyes raced to get the first touch with Rotondi desperately lunging in to win the ball. Reyes went down. Penalty.

After a VAR review, Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava decided to stick with the call on the field and award the penalty.

Henry Martín stepped up from the spot and scored what would be the game’s only goal.

Outside of the controversial penalty, the story of the final was América goalkeeper Ángel Malagón.

Malagón, who looks set to get his shot as Mexico starter at the Copa América this summer, made several key saves throughout the match.

Cruz Azul could have easily been a goal or two up at halftime were it not for Malagón, and La Maquina could have easily equalized late in the game as well.

After the game, América manager Andre Jardine brushed aside any talk that his side hadn’t fully earned its second straight title.

“That’s how things are at América,” Jardine said in his post-match news conference. “We’re always surrounded by controversy and there are a lot of people who try to disqualify our wins. When we win, there’s always some type of discussion, but I think two No. 1 finishes, the best attack, the best defense, two titles, a lot of clean sheets … there we are.”

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