What Guadalajara did tonight belongs in soccer academies. With a dominant performance from start to finish, quick and fluid ball movement, an efficiency few teams can match, and a Nación Rojiblanca that never stopped making Estadio AKRON come alive, Chivas thrashed Pumas 3-0 in Matchday 8 of the Apertura 2026, temporarily taking the top spot in the league with 17 points.
Those who arrived late to their seats must be regretting it, because before the clock even reached the 2-minute mark, Gabriel Milito's team had already set the tone for the match with the trademark Chivas style: quick passing sequences, movement into space, and patience to find the precise moments, which translated into the opening goal.
With control of the match firmly in their hands, Guadalajara's identity became increasingly evident, gradually neutralizing the Auriazules. Another piece of brilliance from 'Sando' extended the lead and, in his return to the pitch, Bryan González put the finishing touch on a rout that was certainly reflected on the scoreboard, but that leaves even more certainty that the Rebaño is serious once again, with the football and arguments to back it up.
With that same authority, Chivas will face El Clásico de México next Saturday, September 19, when they visit América at Estadio Azteca for Matchday 9 of the Apertura 2026, with the Santa Úrsula colossus set to be painted Rojiblanco once again.
The Goals
- A GOAL RIGHT FROM THE START! Just 2 minutes in, after putting the university side's box under pressure on several occasions, Santiago Sandoval arrived at the far post to head home 'Oso' González's cross from the left, beating Navas the wrong way.
- PA' LA JAULAAA! In the 55th minute, 'Santi' charged down the right once again, played a one-two with 'Sepu' and, from outside the box, unleashed an unstoppable rocket into the top corner to get the Chivahermanos back on their feet.
- Welcome back, 'Cotorro'! In the 66th minute, with only a few minutes on the pitch, Bryan González burst forward down the left, held off 'Efra's' through ball and fired a scorching shot toward the near post that beat Navas.
Dangerous Chances
- In the 17th minute, Romo found Marín with a lofted ball, and he won his position before flicking it over the goalkeeper, but his effort went just over the crossbar.
- THE GOALKEEPER OF MEXICO! In the 43rd minute, Pumas launched the Ave María from their own box, taking advantage of Rangel's positioning as he came out, trying to catch him off guard, but Raúl got back in time to send it out for a corner.
- In the 50th minute, another ball in behind 'Oso' found Sepúlveda's run into space, and he tried to finish first-time inside the six-yard box but could not make proper contact with the ball.
- In the 83rd minute, 'Cotorro' tried to replicate his goal, breaking into space and firing hard toward the near post, but Navas got a hand to it.
Guadalajara 3-0 Pumas
(Santiago Sandoval in the 2nd and 55th minutes and Bryan González in the 66th minute)
Referee: Maximiliano Quintero Hernández
Estadio AKRON
Lineups
Guadalajara: 1 Raúl Rangel; 23 Daniel Aguirre (16 Luis Rey in the 67th minute), 3 Diego Campillo, 7 Luis Romo (C); 14 Hugo Camberos (5 Bryan González in the 57th minute), 6 Omar Govea (37 Richard Ledezma in the 57th minute), 28 Rubén González (AM in the 79th minute), 30 Santiago Sandoval (11 Brian Gutiérrez in the 76th minute); 25 Roberto Alvarado, 9 Ángel Sepúlveda (10 Efraín Álvarez in the 57th minute) and 17 Ricardo Marín.
H.C. Gabriel Milito
Pumas: 1 Keylor Navas (C); 2 Pablo Bennevendo, 5 Rubén Duarte, 6 Natanael Ananias; 7 Rodrigo López, 18 Víctor Arteaga (15 Israel Luna in the 70th minute), 21 Uriel Antuna (22 Alan Medina in the 60th minute), 45 Pedro Vite (AM in the 37th minute) (8 Adalberto Carrasquilla in the 60th minute); 14 Luciano Herrera (30 Santiago López in the 88th minute), 23 Olavio Vieira (20 Santiago Trigos in the 70th minute) and 31 Robert Morales.
H.C. Esteban Solari
