Cruz Azul Vs Guadalajara ends Chivas' unbeaten as La Máquina wins 2-1
In the run-up to the Jornada 7 fixture, cruz azul vs guadalajara was listed for Saturday, Feb. 21 at Estadio Cuauhtémoc; in action described from Los Angeles, Cruz Azul beat Chivas 2-1 and stripped the league leader of its unbeaten record.
Cruz Azul Vs Guadalajara: the score and the decisive moments
Cruz Azul took a 2-1 victory over Chivas, with the difference set early by a first-half goal from 'El Toro' Fernández — his sixth goal against Chivas — and a late, 85th-minute header by Charly Rodríguez that sealed the result. Chivas' temporary equalizer came from the bench when Brian Gutiérrez combined with Ricardo Marín and the center found the header of 'El Cuate' Sepúlveda to level the game.
Headers break a defensive streak
Chivas had not conceded goals by header in the tournament before this match; on this night they conceded two headed goals: the first from 'El Toro' Fernández and the second from Charly Rodríguez off a pass from Agustín Palavecino. Palavecino also assisted the opening goal, providing both key passes for Cruz Azul's two aerial finishes.
Tactical shifts, substitutions and discipline
The first half was tight and intense, and the 1-0 scoreline at the break prompted Chivas to shift from a five-man back line to a four-man line for the second half. Hugo Camberos entered the game for José Castillo and Brian Gutiérrez replaced Efrain Álvarez as part of those adjustments. Referee Maximiliano Quintero issued seven yellow cards in the first half, and the match included a series of small scuffles and zacapelas that finished without consequential incidents.
Standings, form and the scheduled fixture
Before this match, Cruz Azul occupied second place in the table with 13 points and a record of four victories in the tournament, while Chivas led the table with 18 points and a perfect run into the seventh date, a five-point gap between the teams. The encounter was noted as part of Jornada 7 of the Clausura 2026 and tied to Saturday, Feb. 21 at Estadio Cuauhtémoc. The preview content that listed those details stated it was generated with artificial intelligence and supervised by the TUDN team.
Individual performances and tactical notes
For Cruz Azul, Willer Ditta stood out for his work on the night, and the match commentary also highlights additional contributions that are unclear in the provided context. Diego Campillo was singled out for his attempt to manage the duel with 'El Toro' Fernández and to contrast the decline of Henry Martín with the sustained potency of the Uruguayan striker. Nicolás Larcamón reorganized his side to meet the threats posed by Gabriel Milito, and Hugo Camberos showed signs of recovery by adding dynamism, depth and defensive consistency after coming on. Brian Gutiérrez's verticality — a quality that had drawn Javier Aguirre's attention — created problems for the opposition when he entered.
The evening was described as nearly 100 minutes of spirited football, with intensity and commitment on both sides as Cruz Azul and Chivas tested themselves and each other in a high-stakes encounter that combined bouts of physicality, tactical reassignments and moments of precision.
On the broadcast program Futbol Picante, Desirée Monsiváis highlighted the 2-1 victory and noted that Chivas lacked definition, a point underscored by the match's finishing details and the substitutions that followed the first-half epilogue.
This match counted as Jornada 7 of the Clausura 2026 and was scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21 at Estadio Cuauhtémoc; that schedule position is the confirmed next milestone tied to the fixture in the provided context.
