With so many Uruguayan Carlos Sanchez and Colombian Dorlan Pabon in the first part, the leader overcame Monterrey Tigers 3-1 Wednesday night in the first leg quarter-final of the Mexican Clausura tournament.
Sanchez took a cross from Colombian Edwin Cardona to open the scoring after 15 minutes Pabon got the winning goal with a shot from half distance at 38.
Argentine Rogelio Funes Mori sealed the account at 84 for "Rayados" which were the best team in the regular season with 37 points.
Monterrey, who had two tournaments without advancing to the playoffs, now could draw or lose by a difference of two home in the second leg and still advance to the semi-finals thanks to goals from visitors, who are the first criterion tiebreaking series.
Against their hated rivals in the same city, Monterrey looking forward to his first semifinals of the Mexican Apertura league since 2014, when America left them out.
Tigers, the defending champion, needed a win by three goals difference to return to the semifinals.
The second leg is next Saturday in the BBVA Stadium Monterrey.
College were better in the first few minutes, but were unable to reflect their dominance and Monterrey took the lead when Cardona reached bottom line on the right side and sent a cross to the heart of the area where Sanchez hit a shot right footed happened on the left side of Argentine goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman, who beat the other side.
Sobis took a ball near the area, removed the mark of a player and took a left-footed shot which came attached to the base of the right post of goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco, who launched successfully but failed to deflect.
Pabon took off the mark of a couple of players and made a shot from outside the area that went ground and stuck the right post Guzman.
In the second half, Tigers dominated the game before a Monterrey retreated to seek a counterattack. Felines generated danger with a shot of French André-Pierre Gignac at 56 and another Argentine Guido Pizarro at 62, which was deflected by Orozco, who at 79 made a spectacular save to a header by Hugo Ayala to preserve the advantage.
Monterrey added another when Edgar Castillo reached bottom line by left flank and sent a center delayed the area where Funes Mori took a swing and fired a shot that came close to the upper right corner of the arc de Guzman.
