Cruz Azul Ends Chivas' Unbeaten Run in 2-1 Victory — Chivas Vs Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul defeated Chivas 2-1 in a high-intensity encounter that snapped Guadalajara’s perfect start to the Clausura 2026 season, a result that reshapes the table dynamics just ahead of the midseason slate. The chivas vs cruz azul match combined aggressive physical play, two headed goals and a flurry of first-half cautions, producing nearly 100 minutes of sustained action.
Chivas Vs Cruz Azul: Scoreline, goals and decisive headers
The final scoreline read 2-1 in favor of Cruz Azul. ‘El Toro’ Fernández opened the scoring in the first half with a headed goal — his sixth against Chivas — and Charly Rodríguez sealed the victory with a header in the 85th minute off a precise cross from Agustín Palavecino, who had also assisted the opening goal. Chivas’ temporary equalizer arrived after a second-half substitution sequence: Brian Gutiérrez combined with Ricardo Marín and the move culminated in a headed finish by ‘El Cuate’ Sepúlveda to make it 1-1.
Referee Maximiliano Quintero and the disciplinary flare-up
The match began with a physical edge that nearly boiled over into skirmishes and minor confrontations. The referee, Maximiliano Quintero, issued seven yellow cards in the first half alone, an early sign of how tightly contested the game would be. Those cautions accompanied repeated jostling and contact that shaped tactical adjustments on both sides.
Tactical shifts: Hugo Camberos, substitutions and formation changes
Trailing at half, Chivas shifted from a five-man defensive block to a four-man line to chase a result. Hugo Camberos entered for José Castillo and Brian Gutiérrez replaced Efrain Álvarez; the Camberos substitution was singled out as a positive, with an appearance described as a recovery that brought dynamic defending and added consistency. The Gutiérrez introduction also added verticality that has drawn praise from Javier Aguirre, amplifying Chivas’ attacking urgency before the late Cruz Azul winner.
Individual performances: Agustín Palavecino, Willer Ditta and defensive matchups
Palavecino’s two key crosses directly produced both Cruz Azul headers. Willer Ditta was highlighted for an outstanding defensive performance for the visitors. Analysts in the match narrative contrasted defensive roles: Diego Campillo was noted for facing the different physical profiles of forwards, with commentary that Campillo was not to blame for the defeat when measured against the Uruguay-born power of Fernández. Nicolás Larcamón also reorganized his team to counter the threat posed by Gabriel Milito, underscoring tactical chess on both benches.
Standings, scheduling and context for Jornada 7 of Clausura 2026
The encounter was tied to Jornada 7 of the Liga MX Clausura 2026 and had been scheduled for Saturday, February 21. Before this game, Cruz Azul sat second in the table with 13 points and a record of four victories; Chivas led with 18 points and a perfect run into the seventh date, a five-point gap between the clubs. Cruz Azul arrived at the fixture on the momentum of a recent win over Tigres, while Chivas came in fresh from a victory in the Clásico Nacional against América. In home history, La Máquina had recorded four consecutive league wins over the Rebaño and held them scoreless in two of those matches; Guadalajara’s last win at their rival came in Clausura 2022 with a goal from Cristian 'Chicote' Calderón.
Venue note and production detail
The match narrative includes a dateline referencing Los Angeles, while the pre-match schedule identified Estadio Cuauhtémoc as the site of the Jornada 7 fixture; the precise venue is unclear in the provided context. Separately, the pre-match guide flagged that some of the preview content was generated with artificial intelligence and supervised by an editorial team.
What makes this notable is how Cruz Azul’s aerial effectiveness and physical approach directly produced two headed goals and, consequently, the end of Chivas’ unbeaten streak. The timing matters because the result immediately narrows the margin between the clubs in the standings and injects momentum into Cruz Azul’s campaign while trimming the cushion Chivas had built in the early weeks of Clausura 2026.
The game was described as nearly 100 minutes of celebrated football, intense in both halves, and punctuated by tactical reconfigurations, key substitutions and decisive individual deliveries that ultimately defined a 2-1 outcome.
