Cruz Azul rescue 3-3 draw at Pumas after Huerta red card
Key takeaways
- Pumas led 2-0 before César Huerta was sent off in the 37th minute.
- Cruz Azul came back twice to draw 3-3 in Mexico City.
- Cruz Azul stay 7th with 17 points; Pumas sit 12th with 13 points.
Pumas threw away a two-goal lead on Sunday. Cruz Azul fought back to draw 3-3. The game was played at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City.
What happened
Pumas started brilliantly. Juninho scored in the 10th minute with a powerful left-footed shot. Six minutes later, César "Chino" Huerta made it 2-0 with another great strike.
Then the game changed. Huerta got a second yellow card in the 37th minute. He had kicked Jorge Rodarte while trying to clear the ball.
Pumas were down to 10 men.
Cruz Azul used the extra man well. Agustín Palavecino scored just before halftime. The score was 2-1 at the break.
Pumas shocked everyone again in the 49th minute. Robert Morales ran past the defense and made it 3-1. The home fans dared to dream.
But Cruz Azul kept pushing. Andrés Montaño scored in the 64th minute to make it 3-2. Then Cristian Ebere finished from close range in the 85th minute. The final score was 3-3.
Keylor Navas kept Pumas alive. The veteran goalkeeper made several big saves late in the game. Without him, Cruz Azul would have won.
Why it matters
This was a rematch of the Clausura 2026 final. Both sets of fans expected a battle. They got six goals and huge drama.
The draw hurt both teams. Cruz Azul stay 7th with 17 points. They had a man advantage for over 50 minutes but could not win.
Pumas stay 12th with 13 points, outside the playoff spots.
Huerta will miss the next game. Liga MX rules give a one-game ban for two yellow cards. That is a big loss for Pumas.
He had just ended a long goal drought before this match.
For more Liga MX drama from the same weekend, read about Tahiel Jiménez's brace. His two goals gave Santos a fourth straight win.
It was a weekend of late drama across football. Baltimore needed overtime to beat Atlanta on the same Sunday.
What happens next
Pumas travel to face Atlante next. They must do it without Huerta. Coach Esteban Solari is under pressure.
His team keeps making costly mistakes.
Cruz Azul host FC Juárez on Saturday. They will be heavy favorites. Three points would strengthen their playoff position.
The title race is still open. But both teams need to turn draws into wins soon. Neither side can afford to drop more points like this.
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