Two clubs moving in opposite directions will meet in Liga MX play as Club América hosts Toluca on Saturday night. Although both are in pursuit of Chivas Guadalajara in league play, Club América just fell out of Concacaf Champions Cup play at the hands of Nashville SC, while Toluca cruised past the LA Galaxy to move one step closer to the final. While there is a difference in the quality of the sides that each played, with Club América’s winless run now stretching on for five matches, pressure is building on manager André Jardine.
How to watch Club América vs. Toluca, odds
- Date: Saturday, April 18 | Time: 11:10 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Banorte — Mexico City, Mexico
- TV: CBS Sports Network
- Odds: Club America +157; Draw +220; Toluca +170
After winning three consecutive Liga MX titles between 2022-24, Club América’s dominance has shifted to Toluca, who could also complete a three-peat of their own if they can run the table in the playoffs. Only three matchdays remain in the Clausura portion of the season, and Toluca are among a crowded group of five teams that can take the top seed into the playoffs. Alongside Pachuca, Cruz Azul, Pumas UNAM, and Chivas, this will be a photo finish, while, notably, América will be hoping that they can even secure a home playoff match.
When looking for a reason why Toluca has been so dominant this season, you need look no further than their attack, where Paulinho is setting the standard of what to expect from strikers in Mexico. With 15 goals in the Clausura portion of the season and a whopping 60 in 84 career appearances over two seasons for the club, he has driven Toluca forward.
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His goals have even gotten to a point where he’s back on the radar for the Portugal national team for the first time since departing Sporting CP. With potentially the last World Cup that he could be involved in around the corner, after being called into the Portugal side for the March international break, he won’t need additional motivation to keep finding the back of the net in order to give Roberto Martínez tough decisions to make ahead of naming his 26-man squad for the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Given América’s struggles finding the back of the net, it’s hard to see them emerging with a win in this match, but they’ll need everything that they can get to hold off Toluca at their own stadium.
Liga MX schedule and results
All times Eastern
Friday, April 17
- Atlético San Luis 0, Pumas UNAM 2
- Mazatlán 1, Querétaro 1
Saturday, April 18
- Cruz Azul vs. Tijuana, 7 p.m.
- Necaxa vs. Tigres, 7 p.m.
- Monterrey vs. Pachuca, 9:05 p.m.
- Chivas Guadalajara vs. Puebla, 9:07 p.m.
- Club León vs. Juárez, 11:06 p.m.
- Club América vs. Toluca, 11:10 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
Sunday, April 19
- Santos Laguna vs. Atlas, 7 p.m.
