Cruz Azul Vs Guadalajara: Cruz Azul vs Guadalajara 2-1 — Chivas’ invicto, headed goals and tactical turns
The match Cruz Azul vs Guadalajara ended 2-1 in a night that stripped Chivas of its unbeaten record and produced nearly 100 minutes of intense football. The result and the manner of the win matter now because Cruz Azul showed what the team’s staff called its best version of the tournament and because the game reshapes immediate standings ahead of Jornada 7.
Cruz Azul’s statement in Los Ángeles and the scoreline
In LOS ÁNGELES the best Cruz Azul of the tournament imposed itself on the league leader with a 2-1 victory that took away Chivas’ invicto. The night was described as fastuosa on the pitch, in the stands and in the players’ attitude; nearly 100 minutes of play became a celebration of good football and high intensity.
Key finishes: 'El Toro' Fernández, Charly Rodríguez and Agustín Palavecino
‘El Toro’ Fernández made the difference in the first half and scored his sixth goal against Chivas. Chivas, who had not conceded headed goals in the tournament until this match, conceded two headed finishes on the night: the first by Toro Fernández and a second — unexpectedly — from Charly Rodríguez at the 85th minute, again set up by a precise pass from Agustín Palavecino, who had also assisted the opening goal.
Equalizer built from the bench and substitutions that shifted the game
The brief rescue to 1-1 came from the Chivas bench: Brian Gutiérrez combined with Ricardo Marín, and Gutiérrez’s center found the accurate header of 'El Cuate' Sepúlveda. After the 1-0 epilogue to the first half, Chivas adjusted from a five-man defensive line to a line of four; Hugo Camberos entered for José Castillo and Brian Gutiérrez replaced Efrain Álvarez.
Referee interventions, scuffles and tactical reorganizations
The match opened with some tugs, pushes and minor scuffles that ultimately had no consequences, aided by an efficient refereeing performance: Maximiliano Quintero issued seven yellow cards in the first half alone. Nicolás Larcamón reorganized his team in response to the threats posed by Gabriel Milito, and the tactical exchanges produced a highly intense second half comparable to the first.
Player notes: recoveries, standouts and coaching observations
One of the clearest positives for Chivas despite the loss was the apparent recovery of Hugo Camberos, who contributed dynamics, ideas, depth and defensive consistency. Brian Gutiérrez’s verticality — a trait that had caught Javier Aguirre’s attention — became a pronounced torment after his introduction. Diego Campillo noted the difference between freezing a player in athletic decline like Henry Martín and suffering against the current power of the Uruguayan, and made clear that Campillo was not to blame for the result but rather the presence of an opponent with greater physical punch, craft and decisiveness. For Cruz Azul, Willer Ditta’s performance stood out, and the original match account ends mid-sentence when praising other players, leaving that phrase unclear in the provided context.
Standings, schedule and context heading into Jornada 7 at Estadio Cuauhtémoc
The game arrives in the calendar ahead of a match scheduled for Saturday 21 de febrero at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc, corresponding to Jornada 7 of the Liga MX Clausura 2026. Cruz Azul sits second with 13 points and a record of four victories; the local side’s recent win — over Tigres in its last match — has kept them in the upper part of the table. Chivas leads with 18 points and a perfect run heading into the seventh date after winning the Clásico Nacional against América, creating a five-point gap between the clubs.
At home, La Máquina has four consecutive Liga MX wins over the Rebaño and in two of those matches kept Guadalajara scoreless; Guadalajara’s last victory when visiting the celestes was in the Clausura 2022 with a goal by Cristian 'Chicote' Calderón. The published match and preview content was generated with artificial intelligence and supervised by the TUDN team.
On broadcast commentary, Desirée Monsiváis — on Futbol Picante — highlighted the 2-1 win over the league leader and emphasized that Chivas lacks finishing (2: 14).
