MEXICO CITY -- In less than two days, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, one of Club America's greatest idols will officially bid farewell to the game of football. Before that grand day, Las Aguilas hosted the Seattle Sounders in the second-leg of the CONCACAF Champions league quarterfinals. The 43-year-old Blanco was among the crowd at Estadio Azteca and witnessed America earn a 3-1 win over the Sounders to put the final aggregate score at 5-3 for Los Azulcremas.
Here are three takeaways from Wednesday night's match:
1. Sambueza at his best since coming to America
Rubens Sambueza was probably aware that Blanco was watching from the stands. Wearing the captain's armband at Club America demands players to take on different roles, some of which "Sambu" has had a tough time understanding. Sambueza has the same fire as Blanco once did, however that fire often provokes him to commit unexplainable fouls that lead to red cards. Blanco, to a certain extent, was capable of controlling that fire in crucial games and avoid leaving his team with 10 men.
Two Sambueza assists led to America's first half goals. One cross came from the left, and the other from the right. Sambueza is offering his best football since he signed for Las Aguilas in the 2012 Apertura. In the quarterfinal series against the Sounders, Sambueza assisted four of the five goals America scored. To start 2016, Sambu has three goals and six assists.
The Argentinean-Mexican midfielder stepped off the pitch in the 82nd minute and the crowd chanted, "Ole, Ole, Ole, Sambu, Sambu!" He is becoming an America idol. So far in the present year, he's the main reason why America is among the top-eight in the Liga MX table and in the CCL final four.
2. Sounders' lead lasted less than two minutes
The sequence after Pablo Aguilar's own goal that momentarily gave the Sounders a 1-0 lead at Estadio Azteca was unusual. Forwards Nelson Haedo Valdez and Jordan Morris took a while to react and celebrate. Osvaldo Alonso, who sent in the cross that led to the own goal, immediately reacted and raised his arms, but the rest of his teammates were in shock. The apparent shock several of its players showed after the goal should have been a sign for what was to come for the Sounders.
In a span of five minutes, the Sounders watched a one-goal lead disappear and America take a 2-1 lead into halftime. At least Seattle was able to score three goals against America in the tie, but the asterisk will stay there -- the Sounders were unable to protect a lead that could have been historic for a league like MLS. Nevertheless, the Sounders and FC Dallas continue to be the only MLS clubs to ever get CCL wins on Mexican soil.
3. Liga MX showing its class
The last time there was an all Liga MX CCL semifinals was in the 2009-10 season. On that occasion, the four Liga MX teams were Pumas, Pachuca, Cruz Azul and Toluca. After America's win over Sounders, three Mexican clubs have secured a place in the semis -- Queretaro, Santos and America.
The Sounders, D.C. United, LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake are at the beginning of their season, but still, what was reflected on the pitch during the last two weeks shows that Mexican clubs are still playing the best football in the region. Clearly, Mexican clubs had an edge at the fitness-level, but the first two goals the Sounders conceded, there was an evident lack of technique from Seattle's defenders. It's rare to see 5-foot-4 Darwin Quintero get a goal off a header with so much ease, or to see Oribe Peralta leap for a header without strong marking. Those two goals happened three minutes apart from each other.
The results in the CCL quarterfinals highlight that Liga MX clubs are expanding on their dominance in the region, even if its recent results in Club World Cups have been rather poor. It's important for MLS clubs to pick up their level in order to make the region more competitive at club level because at the moment there's very little competition between the two leagues.