Cruz Azul Defeats Pachuca 2-1 to Claim Second Place in Liga MX

Cruz Azul secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Pachuca on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Estadio Hidalgo. The match, corresponding to the 13th round of the Liga MX Apertura 2026 tournament, propelled the visitors to the second position in the standings with 23 points, while the Tuzos remained struggling with 13 units.

The visitors entered the fixture carrying strong momentum after routing FC Juárez 5-0 in their previous outing, though they traveled without several key players. Both José Paradela and Willer Ditta stayed behind in Mexico City due to fitness precautions and lingering injuries, while Rodolfo Rotondi made his return to the matchday squad after months away from the pitch.

Pachuca faced the encounter under intense pressure following a four-game winless streak, which included a 2-1 defeat against Monterrey and a 3-3 draw at home against Necaxa. Seeking to reverse their fortunes, the hosts looked to capitalize on home advantage to climb back into the qualification zone from the 14th spot.

The scoring opened early when Gabriel "Toro" Fernández put Cruz Azul ahead in the 13th minute with a clinical finish. However, the advantage proved short-lived as Pachuca responded quickly through Francisco Venegas, who leveled the score at 1-1 in the 20th minute of the first half.

As the match progressed into the second half, both teams battled intensely for control of the midfield in search of a decisive breakthrough. The deadlock persisted as defenses tightened and scoring opportunities became scarce on both ends of the pitch.

The turning point arrived in the 79th minute when a defensive error by the Pachuca backline resulted in a penalty kick. Andrés Montaño stepped up and successfully converted the spot-kick, restoring the lead for Cruz Azul and sealing the final 2-1 scoreline.

With this crucial away triumph, Cruz Azul solidified its status as a strong contender in the upper echelon of the Apertura 2026 tournament. Meanwhile, Pachuca faces a difficult uphill battle in the remaining fixtures of the regular season as they attempt to salvage their qualification hopes.