Club America will welcome Portuguese champions Benfica to the Estadio Azteca this evening as both sides look to end their International Champions Cup campaigns on a positive note. The Live streaming info. is provided below.
America, who have struggled against European opposition in recent years, will come into the match with Benfica on the back of a weekend defeat in their Liga MX season opener to Puebla, which saw Las Aguilas concede four goals.
However, the home advantage that America will enjoy at the Azteca will no doubt drive the Mexico City side forward and coach Ignacio Ambriz will no doubt hope that a victory in front of their home fans against the Portuguese giants could kick start their season.
Ambriz's side will, however, be hampered by the absences of key players to the Gold Cup as well as injuries picked up in recent matches.
America will be without Dario Benedetto and Paolo Goltz who are ruled out with injuries as well as the influential quintet of Ventura Alvarado, Moises Munoz, Martin Zuniga, Paul Aguilar and Oribe Peralta who all featured during the Mexican national side's victorious Gold Cup campaign.
Meanwhile Benfica coach Rui Vitoria will lead his team into the Azteca having seen his side defeated in all of their three matches in North America and recently criticized his team´s lack of a cutting edge in their attack in previous matches.
Speaking after his side's defeat to New York Red Bulls on Saturday Vitoria refused to panic after his side's latest poor result saying: "We can remember previous pre-seasons with Benfica when this happened. We know what we have to do, analyze faults and virtues. We have to keep working hard, which we have done and go always adding something to the team. This process is not easy, but that's how teams have to grow. There is not drama."
Having clinched the Portuguese league title last season, Benfica have endured a difficult pre-season. First the loss of manager Jorge Jesus to rivals Sporting Lisbon, as well as the departures of several key first team players.
Having strengthened their squad carefully this summer, perhaps the Portuguese biggest coup in the transfer market thus far has been in retaining the services of key attackers Nicolas Gaitan and Jonas Goncalves Oliveira, who were so prolific for them last season.
Their last match in the ICC tournament will give coach Vitoria and his newly shaped side another important opportunity to solidify as a team and build confidence ahead of the start of the new Portuguese league.
When: Wednesday 28th July
Where: Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Kick-Off: 21:00 CDT
Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go
TV: Fox Sports 2, ESPN Deportes (Spanish)
Prediction: A tightly fought match that should see goals for both sides. Expect America to attack throughout, but not be able to contain Benfica defensively. Both teams to cancel each other out at 1-1
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