Patricio Salas scored his first Liguilla goal in the 30th minute, heading in Alejandro Zendejas’ corner against Pumas. América still faced a steep climb after falling behind 3-0 early, but the goal briefly pulled the quarterfinal back into reach.
Salas and Zendejas in the box
Zendejas sent the corner from the left side, and Salas met it inside the box to finish with a header. The forward, 21, used his size on the play and turned a set piece into América’s first real lift in the second leg of the Clausura 2026 quarterfinals.
It was his first goal in Liguilla. He had already shown up in a different way a few days earlier, when he supplied a key assist in the first leg against UNAM.
América’s four-goal task
The goal changed the tone, but not the math. América needed four goals to have a chance at reaching the semifinals, and the 3-0 deficit left no room for mistakes.
Salas has already done more than score in pressure games. He previously netted his first professional goal against Cruz Azul in a Clásico Joven, and this header against Pumas added another entry to a growing playoff résumé.
Patricio Salas at 21
At 21 years old and standing more than 1.85 meters tall, Salas gave América exactly what a playoff team needs when the margin is gone: one clean finish that keeps the match alive. The comeback still required three more goals after his header, and that left every remaining minute carrying the weight of the quarterfinal.
