Queretaro struck early and never looked back, defeating Chivas Guadalajara 2-0 at Estadio Akron on Saturday, September 26, in Jornada 10 of the Liga MX Apertura 2026. The Gallos Blancos took the lead in the 12th minute when Ali Avila capitalized on a Luis Romo giveaway, and Mateo Coronel doubled the advantage in the 68th minute, finishing a right-flank move created by Enzo Gimenez.
Chivas controlled the ball for long stretches but could not turn possession into goals. Oscar Whalley made three saves, yet the damage was done in the defensive third: Romo’s error opened the scoring, and the back line was caught out again when Gimenez found space on the right flank to serve Coronel for the second. Chivas thought they had pulled one back through Angel Sepulveda in the 62nd minute, but the header was disallowed for an offensive foul by Santiago Sandoval in the buildup. The hosts finished with 10 men after Omar Govea received a straight red card in the 90th minute for a sliding tackle on Santiago Homenchenko as the Queretaro midfielder looked to break forward.
Gabriel Milito made a double change at halftime, sending on Angel Sepulveda and Richard Ledezma for Brian Gutierrez and Fernando Gonzalez, and later introduced Efrain Alvarez, Jordan Carrillo, and Luis Rey. Queretaro answered with Carlos Villanueva for Bayron Duarte at 52 minutes, Bernardo Parra for Iker Benito at 65 minutes, and Alex Alcala and Paulo Victor for Mateo Coronel and Carlo Garcia at 83 minutes. The result was Queretaro’s fifth win of the tournament and extended their unbeaten run away from home, while Chivas suffered their second defeat of the Apertura and their second straight match without a win.
Key match stats
Full-time statistics (source: Sportradar):
| Stat | Chivas Guadalajara | Queretaro |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 74% | 26% |
| Shots | 26 | 11 |
| Shots on target | 7 | 5 |
| Corners | 13 | 6 |
| Saves | 3 | 7 |
Chivas dominated possession and outshot Queretaro 26-11, but only seven of those efforts tested Guillermo Allison, who finished with seven saves. Oscar Whalley recorded three saves for the hosts. Queretaro ceded possession and counterattacked, and their two goals came from just five shots on target.
Three takeaways
Chivas’ defensive errors decided the night. Both Queretaro goals traced back to mistakes in the hosts’ defensive third: Romo’s misplaced pass gifted Avila the opener, and a quick collective move from the back saw Gimenez reach the right flank and serve Coronel for the second. With Jose Raul Rangel and Roberto Alvarado away on Mexico national team duty, the back line paid for every lapse.
Queretaro’s road form is real. The Gallos Blancos remain unbeaten away from home this tournament, and this was their fourth away win. Esteban Gonzalez’s side absorbed pressure with just 26% possession and punished Chivas on the counter, a formula that has now carried them to fourth place.
The absences finally caught up with Milito’s squad. Missing Rangel, Alvarado, and Bryan Gonzalez, Chivas created 26 shots but managed no goals. The Rebaño now heads into the FIFA break on a two-match winless run.
What the result means for the Liga MX table
Chivas Guadalajara stays second with 18 points from 10 matches (5 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses, 17 goals scored, 10 conceded), but the cushion is gone: the loss keeps them two points behind leaders Toluca and leaves them catchable by Club America, who play Sunday with 17 points and a game in hand. The top eight advance directly to the Liguilla quarterfinals in Apertura 2026, so Chivas remain firmly in the direct-qualification zone.
Queretaro climbs from sixth to fourth with 17 points from 9 matches (5 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses, 13 goals scored, 8 conceded), level on points with Club America and Atlas: third-placed America sits ahead on goal difference (+9 to Queretaro’s +5), while the Gallos Blancos sit ahead of fifth-placed Atlas on the same tiebreaker. The win solidifies Queretaro’s place in the direct-Liguilla zone with a game in hand on most of the chasing pack. With Jornada 10 still incomplete (five matches remained at the time of publication), positions are provisional and will settle once the round concludes on Sunday.
For where to watch the rest of the round, see our Liga MX viewing hub.
What comes next
Both clubs now pause for the FIFA international break before returning for Jornada 11 on Saturday, October 10. Chivas visit Atlas at Estadio Jalisco in the Clasico Tapatio, a derby Chivas cannot afford to lose after back-to-back winless matches. Queretaro host Atlante at Estadio La Corregidora at 5:00 PM Mexico Central, a fixture moved from Friday, October 9 to Saturday by the league.
For Chivas Guadalajara’s upcoming TV and streaming information in the United States, see our Where to Watch Chivas Guadalajara guide.
Watch the highlights
Watch both goals from Queretaro’s 2-0 win over Chivas Guadalajara at Estadio Akron, via Telemundo Deportes.
Ali Avila’s 12th-minute opener:
Mateo Coronel’s 68th-minute second:
