Pumas and Tigres close to saying goodbye to season after tie
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Pumas and Tigres close to saying goodbye to season after tie
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 24: General view of the Universitario Stadium as fans display a banner in honor of Hugo Sanchez prior to the Liga MX Torneo Apertura 2026 14th-round match between Pumas and Tigres UANL at Estadio Olimpico Universitario on October 24, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. Pumas UNAM is marking 50 years since Hugo Sánchez's debut with Pumas. (Photo by Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rafael Hernandez·SB Nation
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4 min read
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Pumas and Tigres came close to ending their aspirations for post season play as they could only tie 1-1 on Saturday night. On a night where Pumas celebrated Mexico's best player ever, Hugo Sanchez, they failed to live up to the night by only being able to get a tie that now forces them to basically need to win all three matches left. Same thing for Tigres, who are almost mathematically eliminated. Pumas will have to travel to face off against Puebla while Tigres will remain away, this time facing off against Pachuca.
Pumas' Ecuadorian midfielder #45 Pedro Vite and Tigres' Argentine midfielder #11 Juan Brunetta fight for the ball during the Liga MX Apertura tournament football match between Pumas and Tigres at the Olimpico Universitario stadium in Mexico City on October 24, 2026. (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
The 1st half started with Pumas coming out with Nathan, whose red card suspension had been overturned a day earlier. Cesar Huerta would get off a left footed shot in the area that went wide. Juan Brunetta would get the ball and get off a right footed shot from outside the area that forced a good save by Pumas' goalkeeper, Keylor Navas. A thru pass from Diego Lainez almost got deflected for an own goal by Adalberto Carrasquilla but the ball would be saved by Navas. Jesus Garza got off a right footed shot from outside the area that went wide. Juninho would lob a shot past Tigres goalkeeper, Nahuel Guzman, but the ball went wide. It would eventually reach Uriel Antuna, whose cross was headed just wide by Robert Morales. A great pass by Huerta would be deflected to Morales but his right footed shot would be deflected wide. A cross into the area was volleyed by Huerta but Guzma would easily save it. A longball would force Guzman to clear the ball before Juninho would get to it and go off alone into the area. The cross into the area was headed by Rodrigo Aguirre but right to Navas. The halftime whistle blew and the half ended with both teams creating few chances.
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The 2nd half started with the team coming out with the same 11 they started the match with. A pass into the area was volleyed wide by Carrasquilla. Huerta got past a defender and got off another "rabona" cross that was deflected by Guzman. A great low cross by Pablo Bennevendo would get past two Tigres' defenders and Guzman, to reach Robert Morales, who from close range would tap in the ball into the net to score and give Pumas the 1-0 lead. Tigres subbing out Rodrigo Aguirre, Jesus Garza and Cesar Araujo for Guillermo Martinez, Ozziel Herrera and Emiliano Gomez. Brunetta got off a right footed shot from outside the area that went well wide. A cross into the area was deflected into the path of Morales, whose right footed volley would go just wide. A good combination play ended with the ball being left for Juan Brunetta in the area, where he got off a right footed shot past Navas to score and give Tigres the goal that tied the match at 1-1. A ball lowered in the area was headed wide by Antuna. Pumas subbed out Pedro Vite, Pablo Bennevendo and Uriel Antuna for Victor Arteaga, Alvaro Angulo and Alan Medina. Tigres subbed out Diego Lainez for Ricardo Monreal. A cross into the area forced Navas to grab the ball off the feet of Herrera. Tigres subbed out Mauro Lainez for Vladimir Loroña. From outside the area Gomez got off a right footed shot that was saved by Navas. From outside the area, Herrera got off a great right footed shot that forced a great save by Navas. Pumas subbed out Juninho for Santiago Lopez. Off a free kick, the cross into the area was headed by Herrera but Navas made a fantastic save. A counter by Pumas would end with Medina getting off a left footed shot that was saved by Guzman. Pumas subbed out Adalberto Carrasquilla for Israel Luna. There were no other chances as the match finished and both Pumas and Tigres looked to be almost out of the Liguilla with the solitary point gained.
Former Mexican player Hugo Sanchez reacts as he is honoured ahead the Liga MX Apertura tournament football match between Pumas and Tigres at the Olimpico Universitario stadium in Mexico City on October 24, 2026. (Photo by YURI CORTEZ / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Hugo Sanchez's celebration night, on the 50th anniversary of his Liga MX debut, was the only reason for home fans to celebrate as Pumas got a tie against Tigres in a match they needed to win. Pumas now sits at 17 points and will need a miracle to make it to the Liguilla. This is extremely disappointing for the team that finished in first place during the Clausura 2026 and lost the final. New coach Esteban Solari has failed to find the solution to Pumas' numerous problems and Saturday night was another chance to see his lackluster work. Pumas now has three mus win matches and one of those is against their biggest rival and current first place in Mexico, Club America. Tigres will travel to Pachuca as they are even close to ending the season without post season games.
