Five matches is not a full season, but it is enough to tell you whether a new coach is inheriting momentum or creating it. At América, Guillermo Almada’s start has done more than avoid early damage: it has produced an unbeaten run that already compares favorably with the club’s recent coaching benchmark.
After the Sunday win over Portland Timbers, América reached five matches without a loss under Almada. The sequence has been clean and efficient: victories over Querétaro, Santos Laguna, San Diego FC and Portland Timbers, plus a draw against Atlante. In those five matches, América scored 11 goals and allowed only three. That is the profile of a team that is not just surviving the transition, but shaping it.
A stronger start than Jardine's first five
The historical comparison makes the run more interesting. In André Jardine’s first five matches at América, the team beat Puebla, Chicago Fire and St. Louis City, but also lost to FC Juárez and Columbus Crew. That means Jardine’s early stretch produced three wins and two losses, while Almada has opened with four victories and one draw. The difference is not cosmetic. It suggests a faster early stabilization under Almada, with fewer disruptions and less volatility across the first five games.
There is also a tactical message buried in the numbers. A team that scores 11 and concedes three across five matches is doing enough in both directions to stay in control of most games. It does not mean everything has been perfect, but it does indicate that América have been able to manage matches without letting them drift into chaos. That matters in a stretch where results are being judged not only by points, but by whether the side looks ready to compete for the top of Liga MX and the Leagues Cup.
That broader context is what makes this run matter now. América remain in contention for the lead in Liga MX and the Leagues Cup, and Almada’s early record gives them a platform rather than a problem. A coach’s first five matches do not decide a season, but they do reveal the speed at which a team can absorb a new message. In this case, the message has landed quickly.
The next test is whether América can keep turning this kind of start into something more durable. Early unbeaten runs can flatter a team if the opposition is soft or the margins are small, but the combination of results, goals and control suggests this is more than a temporary spike. For now, Almada has done what every new coach wants to do: he has made the comparison point work in his favor.
