Toluca holds America to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Mexican Clausura final

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Top-seeded Toluca salvaged a 0-0 draw against defending champion America on Thursday in the first leg of the Mexican Clausura championship series.

The Aguilas, who finished with the second-best record in the regular season, had the best scoring chances but missed a couple of clear opportunities.

“It was an evenly played match. Toluca came to defend pretty strong. We proposed it, but did not know how to finish our plays,” Aguilas coach Andre Jardine said. “It is a wide-open series. I think the second leg will be a different kind of match.”

The return leg will be played next Sunday at Toluca, a city located 66 kilometers (around 40 miles) from the nation's capital.

America, which reached the final after knocking out crosstown rival Cruz Azul in a rematch of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals, is aiming to become the second team to win four straight championships in Mexico. Only Chivas, from 1958 until 1962, has won four titles in a row, although with a different format.

Toluca, which is third on the all-time list of champions in Mexico with 11 titles, is trying to end a 15-year drought. The last time Toluca won a title was in the Clausura 2010 tournament. Since then, the team has qualified for three finals and lost them all.

“We played a great match on the defensive side. We need to rest knowing that the second leg is going to be as intense as this one,” Toluca coach Antonio Mohamed said. “We know what type of opponent we are facing and it's going to be much harder than today.”

After the domestic final, America is set to face the LAFC in Los Angeles on May 31 in a qualification playoff for the last spot in the Club World Cup.

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America's Cristian Borja does a bicycle kick past Toluca's Juan Dominguez during the Mexican soccer league first leg final match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

America's Rodrigo Aguirre, right, and Toluca's Andres Pereira fight for the ball during the Mexican soccer league first leg final match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

America's Sebastian Caceres, left, and Toluca's Robert Morales vie for the ball during the Mexican soccer league first leg final match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Toluca's Alexis Vega, left, tackles America's Sebastian Caceres during the Mexican soccer league first leg final match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Toluca's Robert Morales, center, reacts during the Mexican soccer league first leg final match against America in Mexico City, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A gas cylinder explosion early Sunday after a wedding reception at a home in Pakistan’s capital killed at least eight people, including the bride and groom, police and officials said.

The blast occurred as guests who had gathered to celebrate the couple were sleeping at the house, causing part of the house to collapse, according to the Islamabad police. Seven people were injured.

In a statement, police said the explosion occurred in a residential area in the heart of the city. A government administrator, Sahibzada Yousaf, said authorities were alerted about the blast early Sunday and officers are still investigating. He said some nearby homes were also damaged.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and offered condolences to the victims’ families, according to a statement from his office. He directed health authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible treatment and ordered a full investigation.

Many Pakistani households rely on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders because of low natural gas pressure, and such cylinders have been linked to deadly accidents caused by gas leaks. Police said investigations were ongoing.

Government officials survey the damage of a home caused by a gas cylinder explosion hours after a wedding reception, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)