Querétaro vs. Club América: Isaías Violante Scores Late Winner as América Opens Apertura 2026 With Victory

USA News: Club América began its Liga MX Apertura 2026 campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Querétaro, thanks to a late goal from Isaías Violante at Estadio La Corregidora on Saturday night. The result gave Guillermo Almada a winning start as América’s new head coach while denying Querétaro a positive opening to the new season.

The Matchday 1 clash remained tightly contested for most of the evening before Violante found the breakthrough in the 83rd minute, securing all three points for Las Águilas.

América Starts the Almada Era With Three Points

The victory marked an encouraging debut for Guillermo Almada, who took charge of Club América ahead of the Apertura 2026 season following the departure of André Jardine.

América entered the new campaign looking to bounce back after being eliminated by Pumas in the quarterfinals of the Clausura 2026 playoffs. The club also made changes to its squad during the transfer window, bringing in defender Emilio Lara and forward Esteban Lozano.

Although América controlled long stretches of possession, Querétaro’s disciplined defensive setup prevented the visitors from creating many clear-cut scoring opportunities during the first half.

Querétaro Shows Defensive Organization

Querétaro entered the season hoping to improve on its 11th-place finish in the previous tournament, where the club recorded four wins, eight draws, and five defeats.

Under head coach Esteban González, the Gallos Blancos strengthened their squad by adding Paulo Víctor, Enzo Giménez, Bernardo Parra, and Michael Carcelén before the new season.

Those additions helped Querétaro remain organized defensively throughout much of the match. América faced limited space in the final third, forcing the visitors to remain patient as they searched for an opening.

Isaías Violante Breaks the Deadlock

The decisive moment arrived in the 83rd minute.

Isaías Violante capitalized on América’s attacking pressure to score the only goal of the match, finally breaking Querétaro’s resistance and giving Las Águilas a crucial lead.

The late strike proved enough to separate the two teams, allowing América to begin its league campaign with an important away victory.

For Violante, the goal provided an ideal start to the new season while rewarding América’s persistence during a closely contested encounter.

Match Statistics

Liga MX Apertura 2026 – Matchday 1

Final Score:

• Querétaro 0-1 Club América

Goal Scorer:

• Isaías Violante (83′)

Venue:

• Estadio La Corregidora
• Querétaro, Mexico

América Looks Ahead With Confidence

Winning away from home on opening weekend offers an important confidence boost for América as Guillermo Almada begins implementing his tactical ideas.

While the performance was not filled with goals, América showed patience and composure against a well-organized opponent. Securing three points in a difficult away fixture could prove valuable as the Apertura season progresses.

The coaching staff will likely focus on improving the team’s attacking rhythm while building on the defensive stability shown during the match.

Querétaro Finds Positives Despite Defeat

Although Querétaro finished the night without points, the Gallos Blancos delivered an organized defensive performance for more than 80 minutes.

The club’s new signings showed promising signs during their competitive debut, and the team demonstrated resilience against one of Liga MX’s strongest squads.

Head coach Esteban González will aim to build on that defensive structure while looking for greater attacking production in upcoming matches.

A Strong Start to the New Liga MX Season

The final fixture of Matchday 1 provided fans with a competitive contest between two clubs beginning new chapters.

América left La Corregidora with maximum points and a winning start under Guillermo Almada, while Querétaro displayed enough discipline to suggest the club could become a difficult opponent throughout the Apertura 2026 campaign.

With Isaías Violante providing the decisive moment late in the match, América opened its season on a positive note and immediately positioned itself among the early winners of the new Liga MX campaign.