Pumas and Cruz Azul Play to a 3-3 Draw at Estadio Olímpico, TUDN reports
Pumas and Cruz Azul played to a 3-3 draw in a rematch of the Clausura 2026 final at Estadio Olímpico Universitario, maintaining Cruz Azul’s unbeaten run in Ciudad Universitaria while leaving both clubs in the standings, TUDN reported.
Early Goals and Red Cards Shape the First Half
The scoring opened just 10 minutes into the match when Juninho drove from midfield into the box, beating goalkeeper Kevin Mier with a left-footed low shot to give Pumas the early advantage. Immediately after the goal, Tano Solari ran to the team, which received him to show backing amid doubts over results prior to the momentary lead against Cruz Azul. After recovering the ball in their own half, Pumas combined well to launch Juninho forward with an intelligent pass from Huerta, who also assisted in the first goal for Universidad Nacional. Six minutes later, after a foul on Juninho, the referee played advantage, allowing César Huerta to control the ball in the area and strike a powerful left-footed shot past Mier for a 2-0 lead. It marked the first goal for El Chino in his second stint with Pumas, coming in his third match following appearances against Atlas and Atlético de San Luis. However, Huerta shifted from hero to villano in the 37th minute, picking up his second yellow card and leaving Pumas with 10 men. The two quick fouls changed the game plan for Esteban Solari, who noted that El Chino played a great match, looked connected, gave a goal pass, scored a goal, and was playing excellently before two quick yellows ended it and completely changed the match, affecting the side not just by missing a player, but by missing him specifically.
Before halftime, Cruz Azul capitalized on the numerical advantage. Following a header by Rodarte, Agustín Palavecino struck a half-volley into the net to pull La Máquina within one.
Cruz Azul Fights Back After Pumas Lead
Despite playing a man down, Pumas extended their lead in the 49th minute. After Pedro Vite nearly scored an own goal, a clearance traveled to midfield where Robert Morales collected it, bypassed Chiquete, and beat Mier to make it 3-1.
Cruz Azul mounted a fierce response. In the 64th minute, Nico Ibáñez struck the crossbar with a header, and Andrés Montaño converted the rebound to bring the visitors closer. The relentless pressure forced Pumas goalkeeper Keylor Navas into heavy action during extra time. Finally, in the 85th minute, Cristian Ebere received a touch from Nico Ibáñez and struck from the center of the area to secure the 3-3 equalizer.
Referee Decision Under Scrutiny
The match also drew attention for officiating decisions. According to Guerrero’s analysis, allowing the sequence to continue directly influenced the scoreboard. TUDN referee analyst Fernando Guerrero pointed out that Pumas’ second goal should have been disallowed due to a prior foul on Erik Lira in midfield. The former referee questioned Ismael López Peñuelas for allowing the attack ending in César Huerta’s goal to continue, interpreting the contact on the cementero midfielder as sanctionable.
Standings Impact After the Final Whistle
The draw left Pumas in 12th place with 13 points, while Cruz Azul collected 17 points to sit in seventh place in the league table.
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