Cruz Azul Vs Guadalajara — La Máquina rompe el invicto del Rebaño en un 2-1 vibrante
In the cruz azul vs guadalajara clash, Cruz Azul beat Chivas 2-1 and ended the leader’s unbeaten run, in a match described as intense and nearly 100 minutes of action.
Cruz Azul Vs Guadalajara: final score and decisive moments
The match finished 2-1 in favor of Cruz Azul, with 'El Toro' Fernández opening the scoring in the first half and adding the tournament-extending note of his sixth goal against Chivas. The equalizer for Guadalajara came from the bench when Brian Gutiérrez combined with Ricardo Marín and his cross found the header of 'El Cuate' Sepúlveda to make it 1-1. At minute 85 Charly Rodríguez scored the winner with a header off a perfect pass from Agustín Palavecino; Palavecino had also assisted the 1-0.
A test for Armando “Hormiga” González
Armando “Hormiga” González arrived at this clash having decided the previous weekend’s Clásico Nacional with a 1–0 goal against América, a strike that sustained Chivas’ perfect start to the Clausura 2026. Chivas came to the encounter with the best start of the Clausura 2026 and momentum; the match at Estadio Cuauhtémoc presented a bigger test for the ‘9’ in a setting described as more neutral than Akron, with mixed fans and different pressure.
Standings, form and historical notes
This game corresponded to Jornada 7 of the Liga MX Clausura 2026 and was scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21 at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla. Before the match Cruz Azul sat second with 13 points and four wins in the tournament, arriving on the back of a victory over Tigres; Chivas led the table with 18 points and a perfect run after defeating América in the Clásico Nacional, a gap of five points between the two teams. As hosts historically, La Máquina held four consecutive Liga MX home wins over the Rebaño and had kept Guadalajara scoreless in two of those meetings; the last time Guadalajara won visiting the Celestes was Clausura 2022 with a goal by Cristian 'Chicote' Calderón.
Intensity, refereeing and tactical moves
The night was described as fastuosa and intensely contested, with nearly 100 minutes of action that began amid pushing and small scuffles that produced no lasting incidents. Referee Maximiliano Quintero issued seven yellow cards in the first half. After the 1-0 half-time scoreline, Chivas shifted from a five-man defensive line to a four; Hugo Camberos replaced José Castillo and Brian Gutiérrez came on for Efrain Álvarez. Nicolás Larcamón reorganized his Cruz Azul side to meet threats from Gabriel Milito, and the contest remained high in intensity through the second half.
Player takeaways and individual performances
Desirée Monsiváis highlighted the 2-1 victory and noted Chivas’ lack of finishing in the broadcast commentary. For Cruz Azul, Willer Ditta was singled out as outstanding. For Chivas, Hugo Camberos showed an apparent recovery, contributing dynamism, depth and defensive consistency after his substitution. Brian Gutiérrez’s verticality drew praise for troubling Cruz Azul from the bench and for catching the eye of coach Javier Aguirre. The match also marked the first time in the tournament that Chivas conceded headed goals—twice on this night.
The TUDN schedule text noted the match’s date and venue and added that its content had been generated with artificial intelligence and supervised by the team that produced it. Sports coverage framed the game as a major trial for Armando "Hormiga" González: the striker’s ability to appear in the area in tight matches — and replicate his goal versus América — was highlighted as the narrative hinge for Guadalajara.
The game was part of Jornada 7 of the Clausura 2026; what follows on the fixture list is unclear in the provided context.
