On Sunday, February 9th Queretaro will host Club America at La Corregidora.
Queretaro is currently one of the hottest teams in the league with three league wins a row Aguilas are coming off a midweek victory 1-0 over Puebla. The last time these two teams played each other the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Projected Lineups
Queretaro: Gil Alcala- Enrique Lopez, Julian Velazquez, Jorge Aguilar, Jaime Gomez- Clifford Aboagye, Marcel Ruiz, Jonathan Perlaza, Jeison Lucumi- Fabian Castillo, Ariel Nahuelpan
Club America: Guillermo Ochoa- Paul Aguilar, Bruno Valdez, Emanuel Aguilera, Jorge Sanchez- Ruben Gonzalez, Richard Sanchez, Andres Ibarguen, Alonso Escoboza, Gio Dos Santos – Henry Martin
Referee: Oscar Macias Romo
Team News
Queretaro
Queretaro has been a very impressive side so far this season. The team managed by Victor Manuel Vucetich won all three of their last three games in the league. In those three games, they scored 6 goals and only allowed 1 goal against them.
Club America
Las Aguilas are coming off a midweek match vs Puebla where they managed a 1-0 victory. This match was important for Las Aguilas because they were coming off a very disappointing match where they lost to FC Juarez 3-1 at home on Saturday.
Club America will be with many big names still out for several reasons, Vinas, Caceres, and Benedetti continue to be at the South American Olympic Qualifiers. Nico Castillo and Andres Ibarguen remain sidelined due to injuries and a late addition to the injury report was Alonso Escoboza who did not travel with the team and will miss the game.
Roger Martinez is still separated from the team despite being a full participant in training all week.
Jorge Sanchez will also be dropped after he missed the last game due to suspension.
Club America managed another clean sheet away from home and will try to keep it that way on Sunday against a Queretaro side that knows how to find the back of the net.
Key Matchups
Marcel Ruiz vs Richard Sanchez
Marcel Ruiz is having a great start to the season, the young Mexican player has already scored twice this season. Including one during the midweek game vs Monterrey. Ruiz continues to be a key piece in the Gallos Blancos side going forward as well as covering ground defensively.
Richard Sanchez has been the player to step up in the Guido Rodriguez role. Sanchez is having a great start to the season and is turning himself into the engine that makes America run. Richard Sanchez is the player that breaks the opposition’s attacks but at the same time creates a lot going forward.
Marcel Ruiz and Richard Sanchez have similar styles and it will be one of the most attractive matchups during this game. Both of these players have the ability to be the outlet and the plug for their respective teams.
Fabian Castillo vs Paul Aguilar
Fabian Castillo is another player that has been crucial for Queretaro’s recent success, the Colombian is a player that is constantly moving around the field but likes to focus his attacks on the left side.
Castillo will be matched up against Aguilar on that left side basically all game. Aguilar’s speed might is not what it once was so the veteran right-back will have to try and win this matchup with timing and experience.
Ariel Nahuelpan vs Emanuel Aguilera
Ariel Nahuelpan is a player that has never been shy on confidence. I have seen Nahuelpan score and miss some unbelievable chances, Nahuelpan is a big body striker with good technical ability, and on his day he can be unstoppable.
Ariel Nahuelpan will go up against an America defense that allows chances, and sometimes get caught on the counter. Nahuelpan will be seeing a lot of Emanuel Aguilera across from him. Aguilera is having an underperforming year despite the three clean sheets he has been a part of this season.
Aguilera is a player that will sometimes make questionable decisions and at times will lose his head. Aguilera had a clumsy challenge vs Puebla that many thought called for a red card. It will be interesting to see how Aguilera will approach his matchup with Nahuelpan because he’s a player that doesn’t need a lot of space to make you pay.