Monterrey and Tijuana Draw 1-1 in Apertura 2026

Monterrey and Tijuana tied 1-1 at the Estadio BBVA on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in a direct matchup for the Liguilla during the 15th round of the Liga MX Apertura tournament. Both squads entered the contest striving to secure crucial points in the final stretch of the regular season to improve their standings.

Prior to the encounter, Tijuana sat in seventh place in the league table with 21 points, while Monterrey closely followed in eighth position with 20 points. The match marked the 36th official meeting between the two clubs, adding another chapter to their historical rivalry in Mexican professional soccer.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the first half when defender Jackson Porozo scored with a header into the left corner of the net, following a corner kick and an assist from Francisco González. The opening goal gave the border squad a valuable advantage on the road as they sought to replicate their previous strong performance against América.

Monterrey responded and found the equalizer in the second half through a penalty kick. Forward Hugo Cuypers successfully converted from the spot with a right-footed shot to the center of the goal, following a foul inside the box committed by Tijuana defender Unai Bilbao against Cuypers himself.

Head coach Matías Almeyda adjusted his tactical scheme and starting lineup for Monterrey due to absences, including the suspension of Orbelín Pineda, who missed the fixture following a red card received the previous weekend against Guadalajara. The manager opted for a traditional four-man defensive line featuring Carlos Salcedo and Víctor Guzmán in the central defense.

Despite entering the match as the second-best defensive unit in the Apertura 2026 tournament with only 18 goals conceded prior to kickoff, Monterrey was unable to find a late winner to secure all three points at home. Meanwhile, Tijuana maintained its competitive stance on the road, building upon its previous midweek draw against América.

With the final whistle, both teams earned a point that keeps them in contention for direct qualification spots as the regular phase of the Apertura 2026 tournament nears its conclusion. Monterrey will look to bounce back in its upcoming fixtures to climb higher in the standings before the start of the postseason.