Pachuca 3-3 Necaxa: Rondon's Late Double Rescues Tuzos in Liga MX Thriller
Key takeaways
- Pachuca and Necaxa drew 3-3 at Estadio Hidalgo on Sunday in Liga MX Apertura matchday 11 after a wild second half.
- Salomon Rondon scored in the 84th and 87th minutes to rescue a point, taking his season tally to 12 goals in 11 games.
- The draw denied Necaxa coach Juan Reynoso his first win and left the visitors 17th, while Pachuca climbed to 11th with 13 points.
Pachuca drew 3-3 with Necaxa in Liga MX on Sunday, October 11. The match was played at Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca. It was matchday 11 of the 2026 Apertura season.
Necaxa led 3-1 with just over ten minutes left. They looked certain to win. Then Salomon Rondon took over.
The 37-year-old striker scored in the 84th and 87th minutes. His late double rescued a point for the home side.
What happened
Necaxa started the game brilliantly. Matias Espindola opened the scoring in the 15th minute. He pounced on a rebound from Pachuca goalkeeper Carlos Moreno.
He finished from close range.
Before half time, Necaxa doubled their lead. Julian Carranza scored in the 41st minute. He finished a swift counterattack.
The Argentine striker now has seven goals this season. That puts him second in the scoring charts. At half time, Necaxa led 2-0 and looked comfortable.
Pachuca pulled one back in first-half stoppage time. Brazilian defender Eduardo Bauermann headed home in the 45th minute plus eight. The goal gave the home fans hope.
The second half stayed tense. Then Necaxa thought they had sealed the win. In the 79th minute, Colombian Juan Valencia converted a penalty.
The score became 3-1. The visitors had a two-goal cushion with eleven minutes left. Their fans started to celebrate.
But they celebrated too early. In the 84th minute, Rondon rose highest to head home. The score became 3-2. The stadium came alive.
Three minutes later, Rondon struck again. He fired a powerful shot inside the box. The ball flew into the net.
The score was 3-3. The home crowd went wild.
Necaxa could not respond. The final whistle blew with the score level. Pachuca had stolen a point.
Necaxa had thrown away two.
The goal timeline tells the story of a classic. Espindola scored in the 15th minute. Carranza added the second in the 41st.
Bauermann pulled one back at 45 plus 8. Valencia's penalty made it 3-1 in the 79th. Then Rondon's double in the 84th and 87th minutes completed the comeback.
Rondon's brace took his season total to 12 goals in 11 games. He is averaging more than a goal per game. He now leads the Liga MX scoring race by five goals.
Carranza is second with seven. Henry Martin, Juan Brunetta, Juninho Vieira and Oscar Estupinan each have six.
The veteran is chasing history. Rondon won the Liga MX scoring title in the 2024 Clausura. Now he wants his second crown.
At 37, he is proving that age is just a number. His movement in the box remains sharp. His finishing is still deadly.
Why it matters
This draw matters for both clubs. For Pachuca, it feels like a win. They were dead and buried at 3-1 down.
To fight back shows character. The point moves them to 13 points. They climb to 11th place in the table.
They stay in touch with the playoff spots.
Rondon's form is the bigger story for Pachuca. Having the league's top scorer is a huge advantage. Twelve goals in eleven games is an incredible return.
If he stays fit, Pachuca can beat anyone. The team will keep creating chances for him. He will keep scoring them.
For Necaxa, this feels like a defeat. They had the game won. They led by two goals with eleven minutes left.
To drop two points from that position is painful. The draw leaves them 17th with nine points. They remain stuck near the bottom of the table.
The result is especially hard for coach Juan Reynoso. The Peruvian is still looking for his first win since taking charge. This was his third game as Necaxa boss.
For 79 minutes, it looked like the win had finally come. Then it slipped away. That hurts a coach and a squad.
After the match, Reynoso was honest. He admitted his team lacked the maturity to close out the game. He said the players gave everything.
He said he had seen progress. But he could not hide his frustration. Winning teams find a way to finish.
Necaxa did not.
There is also a tactical lesson here. Necaxa sat back after going 3-1 up. They invited pressure.
Against a striker like Rondon, that is dangerous. Pachuca threw everything forward. The gamble paid off.
Necaxa will need to learn how to manage leads better.
The scoring race adds spice to the story. Rondon against Carranza is now a direct duel. Carranza scored for Necaxa in this very game.
He sits second with seven goals. The five-goal gap looks big. But strikers can score in bursts.
Carranza will be hungry to close it.
Liga MX fans love this kind of drama. The Apertura season always delivers wild games. A 3-3 draw with a late comeback is exactly why people watch.
Both sets of supporters got their money's worth, even if Necaxa fans went home frustrated.
What happens next
Pachuca's next match is away at Monterrey on October 18. That will be a tough test. Monterrey are one of the league's strongest teams. But Pachuca will travel with confidence.
They know they can score goals late. Rondon will be the danger man again.
If Pachuca keep picking up points, the playoffs are within reach. They sit 11th now. A good run could push them into the top ten.
With Rondon in this form, no defence will look forward to facing them.
Necaxa must regroup quickly. Reynoso needs his first win soon. The players need to forget the collapse.
The good news is they played well for 79 minutes. Espindola and Carranza looked sharp. Valencia was cool from the penalty spot.
The pieces are there.
But the team must learn to finish games. Leading 3-1 away from home should mean three points. It ended as one.
If Necaxa keep dropping points from winning positions, the season will slip away. They sit 17th. They need wins, not moral victories.
The scoring race will run all season. Rondon has the lead. Carranza is chasing.
The chasing pack includes some big names. Every round brings new twists. Rondon's late double on Sunday was the latest chapter.
Sunday's game will be remembered for a long time. Six goals. A penalty.
A two-goal comeback in the final minutes. A 37-year-old striker refusing to lose. That is Liga MX at its best.
For more Mexican football drama, read our recap of Pumas' 3-3 draw with Cruz Azul and Santos Laguna's fourth straight win. European fans can preview Barcelona's trip to Galatasaray.
Related stories
Why Is Altitude Sickness Worse for Some People?
Altitude sickness hits some people harder because of genetics, ascent speed, and prior history, not fitness level. Here is what raises risk
Why Do You Get Blisters When Hiking and How to Prevent Them
Friction plus moisture plus heat equals a blister. Learn why hiking breeds all three, and the boots, socks, and tape system that keeps
How to choose hiking boots for beginners: fit, features, and break-in
Beginners should buy for fit first: snug everywhere, tight nowhere, with a thumb's width at the toes. Here is how to size, test,