Zendejas Stars in Dramatic Playoff Battle

Alejandro Zendejas delivered a career-defining performance in the Liga MX playoffs on Sunday night, nearly leading Club América to an improbable comeback against top-seeded Pumas UNAM in what will surely be remembered as one of the most thrilling matches in recent Mexican football history.

The American international scored two goals and provided an assist in the second leg of the Liguilla quarterfinal, spearheading a remarkable recovery from a 3-0 deficit. The match ended in a 3-3 draw at the Estadio UNAM, but unfortunately for América, it wasn't enough to advance to the semifinals.

Historic Comeback Falls Short

Pumas raced out to a commanding 3-0 lead after just 23 minutes, seemingly securing their place in the semifinals. However, Zendejas had other plans.

"That's when Zendejas got to work," the match report noted. First, he assisted Patricio Salas off a corner kick delivery on the half-hour mark to cut into the lead, and 10 minutes later, he pulled América within one with another spot kick that beat Pumas goalkeeper and Costa Rican legend Keylor Navas.

In the 61st minute, Zendejas beat Navas in the air, heading in from close range to improbably pull América level once again, completing a stunning comeback from three goals down.

The aggregate score stood at 6-6 after both legs ended 3-3, but under Liga MX regulations, the better team from the regular season advances in the event of an aggregate draw. Since Pumas finished as the top seed, they advanced to the semifinals to face Pachuca.

World Cup Dreams Hang in the Balance

Zendejas' playoff performance came after a regular Clausura season in which he missed some time with injury but still managed three goals and three assists in 10 matches. He's seeking a place on the U.S. World Cup team, though he hasn't appeared for Pochettino since scoring an impressive goal to open the scoring vs. Japan in September 2025.

That win started a run of five unbeaten for the U.S. (4-0-1) until consecutive losses to Belgium and Portugal in late March. His omission from those two matches caught the eye of América manager André Jardine, who questioned the roster decision and called Zendejas a top-three player in all of Liga MX.

Whether that's enough to be named as one of the 26 representing the U.S. will be determined when Pochettino picks his squad on May 26.

Near-Miss for América

América still needed a fourth goal to overcome the tiebreaker, and Las Aguilas were gifted that opportunity in the 87th minute on another penalty. Henry Martín, not Zendejas, stepped to the spot, and promptly put his low chance off the post, missing out on the chance to take the aggregate lead and send América through.

The dramatic finish capped off an unforgettable night in Mexico City that showcased Zendejas' exceptional talent and left American fans hoping he'll receive the call for the World Cup roster.