Tigres - Pachuca: Defensive errors and a late Kenedy strike seal Pachuca comeback at the Volcán
Pachuca overturned Tigres at the Estadio Universitario to win 2-1, a result that matters now because a red card and defensive lapses swung control away from the hosts late in the match. The tigres - pachuca meeting exposed vulnerabilities in Tigres’ game plan and delivered a dramatic finish decided by a long-range winner.
Development details — Tigres - Pachuca
The match ended 2-1 to Pachuca after Tigres took an early lead through a first-half strike by Ozziel Herrera. The contest turned in the second half when Joaquim Pereira was sent off, leaving Tigres with ten players and altering the dynamic on the field. Pachuca capitalized on that numerical advantage: Salomón Rondón headed in a corner to level the score, and later Robert Kenedy produced a long-range shot that beat goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán to complete the comeback.
Enner Valencia made his return for Pachuca from injury, entering as a substitute for Sergio Rodríguez in the second half and receiving an ovation from the crowd. Jesús Garza started at right back for Tigres after being called up to the national team for a match later in the month; Garza's performance was described as acceptable with consistent attacking forays from the flank.
Starting lineups listed for Tigres included Nahuel Guzmán, Jesús Garza, Jesús Angulo, Romulo Zwarg, Joaquim Pereira, Vladimir Loroña, Fernando Gorriarán, Diego Lainez, Ángel Correa, Ozziel Herrera and Rodrigo Aguirre. Pachuca's starters included Carlos Moreno, Sergio Barreto, Eduardo Dos Santos, Brian García, Carlos Sánchez, Christian Rivera, Alán Bautista, Sergio Rodríguez, Oussama Idrisi, Alexei Domínguez and Salomón Rondón.
Context and pressure points
Tigres controlled portions of the early game but struggled to create sustained clear-cut chances before Herrera opened the scoring. The sending-off of Pereira became the critical turning point; the red card shifted momentum decisively, inviting Pachuca to press and rearrange its approach. The dismissal was singled out as the moment that complicated Tigres’ night and allowed Pachuca to chase the match with increasing urgency.
Pachuca’s victory at the Volcán is notable in the context of this rivalry: it was the club’s third win at the Estadio Universitario in short-format competitions, joining previous successes in the Clausura 2010 and Clausura 2024. The broader head-to-head balance at Tigres’ stadium stands with far more wins for the home side, but this result adds to a smaller tally of away successes.
After the game, midfielder Guido Pizarro addressed the team’s reaction in a postmatch conference, saying, "En el partido de hoy, hasta la expulsión éramos mejores; el equipo estaba bien, pero no se trata de responsabilizar a alguien, sino de seguir trabajando internamente para apuntar a lo que queremos y a lo que representa esta camiseta. " The comment underscored an internal focus and avoided singling out an individual as solely to blame.
Immediate impact
The result leaves Tigres dealing with the immediate consequences of playing a man down and of having key defensive moments go against them. Joaquim Pereira’s red card was described as making him the villain of the match, a designation that intensified scrutiny on his actions and on the team’s ability to respond under pressure. Pachuca, conversely, benefited from the extra man and the opportunistic finishing that produced a come-from-behind win.
Fixture implications are already set: Tigres will travel to face América in the next round of the Clausura 2026, while Pachuca is scheduled to play Mazatlán, a match in which Pachuca will enter as the favorite. Enner Valencia’s return to action provides Pachuca with a restored option in attack for the run of fixtures ahead.
Forward outlook
The coming weeks will test whether Tigres can stabilize defensively and adjust to pressure scenarios without conceding critical moments, and whether Pachuca can convert this comeback into sustained momentum. What makes this notable is how a single dismissal reshaped the match plan and outcome, turning a narrow home advantage into an away victory decided by a spectacular late strike.
Confirmed milestones to watch are the upcoming league fixtures for both clubs and the national team commitments that affected Tigres’ selection for this match. The matter of individual responsibility and team resilience will be central as Tigres prepares to travel and Pachuca looks to consolidate its position in the table.
