América didn’t need a perfect night to show why it at the top. The Águilas fell behind early against Juárez, but rallied in time to secure a 2-1 victory, thanks to a two-goal performance by Henry Martín.
The win came on Matchday 5 of the 2026 Apertura and allowed the Azulcrema to hold firm at the top of Liga MX, while the Bravos remain at the bottom of the standings.
Now, América can shift its focus and concentrate on its next challenge: the Leagues Cup.
Juárez Strikes First
The match began with América looking to dictate the pace. The Águilas had more possession and created danger near the Bravos’ box.
But just when the team from the capital seemed to have control, Juárez found a way to strike.
In the 33rd minute, José Luis Rodríguez received the ball on the left wing and sent a precise cross into the heart of the box. Óscar Estupiñán was there, stretching out his leg in front of the goal and managing to send the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0.
The goal caught América off guard, but their response was almost immediate.
Henry Martín Strikes Again
Just five minutes later, the Águilas tied the game.
Kevin Álvarez sent a cross from the left flank, looking for the forward who has so often stepped up in crucial moments for the Azulcrema.
And Henry Martín made no mistake.
The forward rose in front of the goal and connected with a powerful header that found the back of the net to make it 1-1.
The equalizer shifted the momentum of the match once again and left everything up in the air heading into the second half.
VAR and a Penalty Kick Seal the Comeback
Early in the second half came the play that would ultimately decide the match.
After reviewing the play via VAR, the referee determined that Javier Aquino had handled the ball inside the box and awarded a penalty kick to América.
Who stepped up to take the penalty?
Naturally, Henry Martín.
The Azulcrema forward fired a powerful shot to the goalkeeper’s right and scored his second goal of the night.
América came back to lead 2-1.
The forward once again demonstrated why he is one of the capital city team’s key offensive players and became the decisive figure of the match.
Juárez had a chance to tie the game, but it didn’t materialize
Los Bravos didn’t give up.
Juárez had chances to tie the score again, mainly through Óscar Estupiñán, who came very close to scoring his second goal of the night.
One of his attempts even hit the crossbar.
However, the home team lacked decisiveness at key moments, and América managed to hold on in the final minutes to secure the three points.
América Remains at the Top
With this victory, the Águilas remain in first place in the 2026 Apertura, confirming that they are still one of the strongest teams in the league.
For Juárez, the picture is completely different. The Bravos remain in last place in the standings and will need to react quickly if they want to turn their season around.
América, on the other hand, can breathe a sigh of relief.
The Águilas staged another comeback, Henry Martín scored twice, and they remain in first place.
Now it’s time to shift focus to the Leagues Cup, where the team will look to carry that momentum onto the international stage.
