Santos Laguna host Necaxa in Liga MX playoff race showdown
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Santos Laguna host Necaxa on Sunday, November 1. The Liga MX matchday 15 game is at Estadio Corona in Torreón.
- Santos sit 12th with 19 points. They have won four straight home games. Necaxa are 17th with 10 points.
- Kickoff is at 5 PM local time. US fans can watch on TUDN or Fox Sports. The game also streams on ViX Premium.
Santos Laguna host Necaxa on Sunday night in Torreón. The Liga MX matchday 15 game kicks off at 5 PM local time.
Santos need the win to stay in the playoff race. Necaxa are chasing their first road win of the season.
What happened
The two clubs meet in matchday 15 of the Apertura 2026. Kickoff is Sunday, November 1, at 5 PM in Torreón.
That is 6 PM Eastern Time in the United States. The stage is Estadio Corona, inside the Territorio Santos Modelo complex, per the club.
Santos arrive with their home crowd behind them. The club says the team has won four straight games at the Corona.
The wins came against FC Juárez, Pachuca, Querétaro and Pumas. The fans have made the stadium a hard place to visit. Santos are one of the form teams in Mexican football right now.
Saturday brought a special moment at training. Hundreds of academy children watched the final session, the club said.
The kids are part of the InterSantos program. They joined the players on the pitch before the big game.
The club expects another big crowd on Sunday. The green-and-white fans have been a key force all season.
But Santos must shake off a bad memory. They lost 4-1 at Tijuana last weekend, per Sportytrader.
The defeat ended a run of five straight wins. Coach Renato Paiva needs a quick response from his players at home.
Necaxa travel north in poor form. They sit 17th in the table with 10 points from 14 games.
Their record shows two wins, four draws and eight losses. They lost 1-0 to Guadalajara on October 20, per Sportytrader.
Three days later they drew 1-1 with FC Juárez. Julián Carranza missed a late penalty that could have won it. Coach Juan Reynoso is still searching for answers.
Why it matters
The league table explains the stakes. Santos are 12th with 19 points.
A home win keeps them in the fight for a playoff spot. A loss could end that dream, per Sportytrader. With the final matchdays close, dropped points hurt more than ever.
Home form is the big edge for Santos. Four straight wins at the Corona speak for themselves.
Santos Laguna's recent win over San Luis showed the same fighting spirit. Necaxa have not kept a clean sheet in any road game this season, per Sportytrader. That is a rough mix for the visitors.
History warns Santos not to relax. The last meeting ended 3-1 for Necaxa on January 10, per Sportytrader.
The visitors know how to score in Torreón. Santos will want to erase that memory fast in front of their own fans.
The key players are clear on both sides. Tahiel Jiménez leads Santos with five league goals, per Sportytrader.
Ezequiel Bullaude runs their attack from midfield, per WSN. For Necaxa, Julián Carranza is the danger man with seven goals this season.
The markets back the home team too. Just over half the money sits on a Santos win, per WSN. About one in four backs Necaxa.
What happens next
Sunday night decides the mood for the run-in. A Santos win would make it five straight home victories.
It would keep the playoff race alive for the Warriors. The fans at the Corona expect nothing less.
A draw or a Necaxa win would flip the story. Santos would lose ground at the worst possible time.
Necaxa would gain belief after a painful season. Coach Juan Reynoso needs his defense to hold firm for once on the road.
For Necaxa, time is running out. They need points fast to climb away from 17th place.
A first clean sheet away from home would be a huge step. Carranza needs more help from his teammates in attack. Only then can they shock the hosts.
Fans in the United States can watch on TUDN or Fox Sports, per WSN. The game also streams on ViX Premium and Fubo. Kickoff is 6 PM Eastern Time.
The whistle blows on Sunday night in Torreón. Santos bring the form. Necaxa bring the need.
The next chapter of both seasons starts at the Corona.
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