Puebla - América: Veiga debuts as scorer in 4-0 victory that lifts América into provisional Liguilla zone
In a Jornada 7 matchup that reshaped early standings, puebla - américa ended with América rolling to a 4-0 win at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc. The result matters now because it snapped a mini crisis for América after a recent Clasico loss and vaulted the club into a provisional qualifying spot for the Liguilla.
Puebla - América: Development details
América opened the scoring when Raphael Veiga headed home a chipped cross from Isaías Violante at the 43rd minute, marking Veiga’s first goal in Mexican domestic competition. Violante himself added a second goal at the 61st minute, finishing a cutting move after receiving a pass from Henry Martin. Víctor Dávila extended the advantage with a low shot that found the net at the 78th minute, and Raúl Zúñiga completed the 4-0 scoreline later in the match by beating goalkeeper Ricardo Gutiérrez after a decisive dribble into the box.
The win came in Jornada 7 of the Liga MX Clausura, a fixture that had been scheduled for Friday, February 20 at 21: 06 local time (22: 06 ET). América fielded Luis Malagón in goal and a starting XI that included Israel Reyes, Cristian Borja, Isaías Violante, Rodrigo Dourado, Erick Sánchez, Brian Rodríguez, Henry Martin and attacker Veiga. Puebla’s lineup featured Ricardo Gutiérrez in goal, Ulises Torres, Iker Moreno, Kevin Velasco, Emiliano Gómez and Esteban Lozano among the starters.
Context and escalation
América arrived to Puebla coming off a defeat in the Clasico Nacional, and the club had only tallied three goals in the league before this fixture. The attacking drought and the recent loss increased pressure on manager Jardine, making a strong result here important to stabilize form. Veiga had made three appearances in Mexico prior to this match and was starting for the first time in the championship; he had been brought in to fill the gap left by Álvaro Fidalgo after Fidalgo joined Real Betis of Spain.
For Puebla, the match represented a chance to capitalize on home advantage: the team had managed just one home win earlier in the campaign and faced mounting expectation under coach Alberto Espigares to secure points at the Cuauhtémoc. Instead, Puebla extended a troubling sequence without victory, seeing offensive and defensive struggles magnified by América’s efficient finishing.
Immediate impact
América’s 4-0 triumph raised the club to 11 points from seven matches and moved it into the sixth position on the table on a provisional basis, placing the team inside the Liguilla zone at this stage of the Clausura. Puebla’s league position stalled as the home side reached a fifth consecutive match without a win, the run consisting of three defeats and two draws and leaving the club with five points.
The scoring sequence illustrates clear cause and effect: Veiga’s header just before halftime broke the deadlock and altered momentum, allowing América to press with confidence; Violante’s follow-up goal further opened the game and forced Puebla to chase, which created space for Dávila and Zúñiga to capitalize in the second half. What makes this notable is that the victory not only addressed América’s goal drought—raising their match goal total well above the three they had before—but also supplied an immediate lift in both points and table position.
Forward outlook
Confirmed milestones coming out of this match include América sitting on 11 points after seven rounds and Puebla remaining on five points with no wins in five attempts. The Clausura is approaching its midpoint, making each upcoming set of fixtures critical for teams aiming to reach the top eight and secure Liguilla berths. Both clubs now face the task of consolidating form in the next rounds of the league: América to maintain its momentum and Puebla to arrest its winless streak under Espigares.
América’s immediate priorities will include translating this offensive performance into sustained scoring across the next fixtures, while Puebla must address defensive lapses that allowed four goals at home. The timing matters because the window to climb into a safe Liguilla position narrows rapidly after the season’s midpoint; results over the coming matchdays will determine whether this victory becomes a turning point or a temporary reprieve.
