Aston Villa concluded their tour in the US with a clean sweep of defeats, as a late goal from Illian Hernandez led to another loss for Unai Emery’s squad at Chicago’s Soldier Field stadium.
Hernandez netted the sole goal of the match after breaking free and firing into the bottom corner for Mexican champions Club America.
Villa, with summer recruit Ian Maatsen making his first start, came close to scoring earlier when Leon Bailey’s effort struck the post, followed by Captain John McGinn hitting the woodwork on the rebound.
However, Club America, enjoying a larger fan presence in the stands, closed the match strongly and clinched the win when Hernandez evaded the offside trap and calmly slotted the ball past 20-year-old goalkeeper Oliwier Zych.
This defeat marked Villa’s third consecutive loss on their tour, following earlier setbacks against RB Leipzig and Columbus Crew.
“This pre-season match aimed to help us find our rhythm and present ourselves against America in front of many Mexican fans,” Emery stated.
“We played to improve our fitness and work on tactical elements, demonstrating our direction with various players.
“While the result wasn’t favorable, it has provided me with valuable insights.”
