Cáceres Leaves América
The closing hours of the European transfer window dealt a blow to América, with Sebastián Cáceres heading to Celta de Vigo. Just a couple of days ago, the agreement between the Mexican club and the LaLiga side was far from being finalized; in fact, the negotiations had fallen apart. However, at the request of the Uruguayan defender, both clubs reopened talks and eventually reached an agreement.
With that, Cáceres brings his spell with Las Águilas to an end after joining the club in 2019. América will receive a fee of around $8 million for the transfer, while the Uruguayan center-back is off to start a new chapter in European soccer.
Las Águilas have already traveled to Los Angeles without Cáceres, meaning they will face Rayados in the Leagues Cup semifinals with a significant hole to fill in their defense.
More news on América: the Coapa club have signed 23-year-old Levante midfielder Carlos Álvarez. The Spaniard is América’s latest addition, signing a three-year contract with the Mexican club. The transfer is reportedly worth $6 million.
Team Form
The Mexico City side enters the game in excellent form under Guillermo Almada. América are the leaders and remain unbeaten in the 2026 Apertura, and they will look to reaffirm the strong momentum they have built against a Monterrey side looking to pull off the upset and get back into the title race after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Atlético de San Luis in the latest Liga MX matchday.
América’s start to the season has been impressive. In addition to sitting at the top of the 2026 Apertura, the team has put together a strong run that makes them one of the main contenders to win the Leagues Cup.
On the other side, Matías Almeyda’s squad will try to put its inconsistency in Liga MX behind it and take advantage of the opportunity to reach the tournament final.
Familiar Foes
This matchup also comes with an extra ingredient: América and Monterrey have a history of intense series whenever they meet in the knockout stages. Both clubs know each other extremely well, and they also know exactly what is at stake: a ticket to the Leagues Cup final and automatic qualification to next season’s CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Aware of the importance of the game, both Almada and Almeyda opted to rotate several of their starters during Matchday 6 of the 2026 Apertura. The intention was obvious: arrive with their best available XI for what is, so far, the biggest game of the season.
Almada rested Henry Martín and Kevin Álvarez, although he brought Brian Rodríguez, Raphael Veiga, Isaías Violante and Erick Sánchez off the bench in the second half. As a result, América should arrive with a large portion of its starting lineup well rested.
Alejandro Zendejas is getting closer and closer to a return after undergoing a cleanup procedure on one of his knees. The midfielder traveled to Los Angeles with his teammates, although it remains to be seen whether he will be included in the squad to face Monterrey.
Another situation to keep an eye on is Luis Ángel Malagón. The goalkeeper has already seen action with the club’s youth teams after recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. His return to the first-team starting lineup, however, will ultimately be Guillermo Almada’s decision.
América will be looking to become the first Mexican club to lift the Leagues Cup trophy. The other three semifinalists will be looking to do exactly the same. After all, this historic edition of the tournament features, for the first time, four Liga MX clubs in the semifinals.
Match Details
The match between América and Monterrey will be played this Wednesday, September 2, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
KICKOFF: 9:30 p.m. Central Mexico Time (11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT)
WHERE TO WATCH LIVE: Streaming on AppleTV+
Probable Lineups
América:
Rodolfo Cota;
Christian Borja, Ramón Juárez, Israel Reyes, Kevin Álvarez;
Erick Sánchez, Edwin Cerrillo, Raphael Veiga;
Isaías Violante, Brian Rodríguez, Henry Martín
Rayados:
Luis Cárdenas;
Ricardo Chávez, Carlos Salcedo, Víctor Guzmán;
Oliver Torres, Orbelín Pineda, Diego Rossi;
Lucas Ocampos, Jesús Corona, Hugo Cuypers
PREDICTION: América 2-1 Rayados
Las Águilas enter the semifinal in better form, with an increasingly clear playing identity under Guillermo Almada and plenty of confidence after their strong results in both the 2026 Apertura and the Leagues Cup.
On top of that, the Mexico City giants will once again have the support of their fans in Los Angeles, just as they did in the quarterfinals against Columbus Crew. Because apparently, wherever América goes in Southern California, somebody has decided it is home turf.
América also has an extra day of rest on its side, having played its Matchday 6 game on Saturday, while Monterrey played on Sunday.
Despite all those factors, this is a knockout game, and these are usually decided by the smallest details. América enters as the favorite based on its current form, but Rayados have more than enough weapons to make things uncomfortable. In other words, the prediction comes with a healthy dose of caution.
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Alejandro Orellana is an accomplished sports journalist based in Mexico City, known for his incisive coverage of Club América and the Mexican National Team. A graduate of Journalism from Escuela de Periodismo Carlos Septien García, Alejandro brings a deep understanding of sports media to his work. His expertise extends to SEO and content creation, allowing him to produce engaging and discoverable sports narratives. He has contributed as a freelance writer for Goal.com, where he notably conducted interviews with MLS players, further showcasing his comprehensive interviewing skills. Prior to this, Alejandro dedicated five years to ESPN’s production department, contributing to renowned shows including SportsCenter, Futbol Picante, and NFL Live. His insightful articles can be found on platforms such as Deportrece and Hooligan Soccer. Connect with Alejandro on @soyalexorellana and Tik Tok to stay updated with his latest work. His commitment to journalistic integrity ensures every piece offers valuable and trustworthy insights for sports enthusiasts.
