América will host Nashville at Estadio Banorte on Tuesday night with a place in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals hanging on the result after last week’s 0-0 draw at Geodis Park. América, under André Jardine, must win to advance. Any draw with goals sends Nashville through on the away-goals rule.
The tie lands at a difficult moment for América. The club has gone six tournaments without advancing in international competition under Jardine, a stretch that includes exits in the semifinals in 2024 and in the round of 16 in 2025. After Jornada 14 in Liga MX, América sat seventh on goal difference, level on points with León and Atlas, so the pressure at home is not limited to the continental stage.
Nashville arrives with momentum and a chance to make more history. It reached Estadio Banorte as the Eastern Conference leader in MLS with 16 points from five wins, one draw and one loss, and beat Charlotte FC 2-1 the previous weekend. This is Nashville’s first appearance in the Champions Cup quarterfinals, and it is seeking its first semifinal in the tournament.
The second leg also carries a familiar test for Nashville: it has advanced twice after drawing the first leg, both times in Champions Cup round-of-16 ties against Inter Miami in 2024 and 2026. That record gives the visitors reason to believe a score draw could be enough again, while América knows the margin for error is gone after leaving the first leg scoreless.
América was listed with R. Cota, S. Cáceres, R. Juárez, I. Reyes, C. Borja, J. Dos Santos, E. Sánchez, R. Veiga, A. Zendejas, B. Rodríguez and P. Salas. Nashville was listed with B. Schwake, A. Palacios, M. Woledzi, A. Najar, R. Baker, P. Yazbeck, A. Muyl, C. Espinoza, H. Mukhtar, E. Taggseth and W. Madrigal. For América, the task is direct and unforgiving: win at Estadio Banorte or watch another international campaign end before the semifinals.
