Pumas UNAM and Cruz Azul played to a 3-3 draw on Sunday night at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Liga MX Apertura 2026, Jornada 11, as the hosts blew a two-goal lead and then a 3-1 lead after going down to 10 men in the first half. Juninho, César Huerta, and Robert Morales scored for Pumas, while Agustín Palavecino, Andrés Montaño, and Christian Ebere answered for Cruz Azul in a match shaped by Huerta’s 37th-minute sending off. The draw keeps Cruz Azul 7th in the standings and lifts Pumas from 13th to 12th.
Result: Pumas UNAM 3-3 Cruz Azul
Goals: Pumas UNAM: Juninho 10′, César Huerta 16′, Robert Morales 49′. Cruz Azul: Agustín Palavecino 45+3′, Andrés Montaño 64′, Christian Ebere 85′.
Competition: Liga MX Apertura 2026, Jornada 11
Venue: Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City
Pumas UNAM vs Cruz Azul Match Recap
Pumas struck twice early to take a 2-0 lead. Juninho opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and César Huerta doubled it in the 16th. The match turned in the 37th minute when Huerta was sent off for a second yellow card after a dangerous challenge on Jorge Rodarte, leaving Pumas with 10 men for the rest of the match. Cruz Azul took advantage before halftime: Agustín Palavecino pulled one back at 45+3′ with a bicycle kick (media tijera) assisted by a Jorge Rodarte header, making it 2-1 at the break.
Shortly after the restart, Robert Morales restored Pumas’ two-goal cushion in the 49th minute, finishing a counterattack after beating Jeremy Márquez and Kevin Mier. But Cruz Azul continued to create chances. Andrés Montaño made it 3-2 in the 64th minute, scoring a rebound after Nicolás Ibáñez hit the woodwork. Christian Ebere completed the comeback in the 85th minute, converting from close range off an assist from Nicolás Ibáñez to make it 3-3. Keylor Navas made key late saves as the hosts held on for the draw.
The draw extends Cruz Azul’s unbeaten run at the Olímpico Universitario to 31 matches. It was also a rematch of the Clausura 2026 final, when Cruz Azul beat Pumas 2-1 at this stadium on May 24, 2026 to win the title. The where-to-watch details for this fixture were covered in FutnSoccer’s Where to Watch Pumas UNAM vs Cruz Azul preview. For more on this season, visit the Liga MX news section.
Match Stats
| Stat | Pumas UNAM | Cruz Azul |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 33% | 67% |
| Shots | 6 | 17 |
| Shots on target | 4 | 6 |
| Corners | 4 | 6 |
| Saves | 3 | 1 |
| Fouls | 5 | 10 |
| Offsides | 1 | 3 |
Source: Sportradar match data.
Starting Lineups
Pumas UNAM (coach Esteban Solari): Keylor Navas; Rodrigo López, Nathan Silva, Rubén Duarte, Pablo Bennevendo; Uriel Antuna, Adalberto Carrasquilla, Pedro Vite, César Huerta; Robert Morales, Juninho. Subs used: Alan Medina (for Juninho 46′), Tony Leone (for Carrasquilla 65′), Víctor Arteaga (for Rodrigo López 66′), Ángel Azuaje (for Nathan Silva 69′, injury), Luciano Herrera (for Pedro Vite 77′).
Cruz Azul (coach Joel Huiqui): Kevin Mier; Jeremy Márquez, Willer Ditta, Jorge Rodarte, Jesús Orozco, Omar Campos; Agustín Palavecino, Érik Lira, Carlos Rodríguez; Nicolás Ibáñez, Gabriel Fernández. Subs used: Andrés Montaño (for Rodarte 46′), Christian Ebere (for Márquez 69′), Alan Mozo (for Ditta 82′), Juan José Calero (for Gabriel Fernández 82′), Luka Romero (for Rodríguez 87′).
Three Takeaways From Pumas UNAM vs Cruz Azul
1. Huerta’s red card changed the match
Pumas built a 2-0 lead inside 16 minutes through Juninho and César Huerta, but Huerta’s second yellow card at 37′ for a dangerous challenge on Jorge Rodarte left the hosts with 10 men for more than half the match. Cruz Azul outshot Pumas 17-6, scored through Agustín Palavecino before halftime, and added two more after the break. Robert Morales briefly made it 3-1 in the 49th minute with a counterattack goal, but Pumas could not hold on.
2. Cruz Azul’s comebacks and the streak at CU
Down 2-0 and then 3-1, Cruz Azul still found a way back twice, with Andrés Montaño’s 64th-minute rebound and Christian Ebere’s 85th-minute close-range finish. The visitors also struck the woodwork multiple times, with Montaño hitting the post and both Ibáñez and Gabriel Fernández hitting the crossbar. The draw extends Cruz Azul’s unbeaten run at the Olímpico Universitario to 31 matches, a streak that survived the rematch of the Clausura 2026 final they won at this same stadium.
3. The standings picture: fine margins on both sides
There is no Play-In in Apertura 2026: the top 8 go directly to the Liguilla quarterfinals, and both clubs sit close to the cutoff. Cruz Azul are seventh on 17 points, one behind sixth-place Atlas, while Pumas are 12th on 13 points, two behind eighth-place Tijuana. For continuing coverage, visit the Liga MX news section.
What the Result Means
The 3-3 draw leaves Cruz Azul in 7th place with 17 points from 11 matches (5 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses, GD +1), one point behind 6th-place Atlas in the direct Liguilla qualification race. Pumas UNAM move up to 12th with 13 points from 11 matches (3 wins, 4 draws, 4 losses, GD -2), two points behind 8th-place Tijuana (15 points) with the top 8 as the cutoff for the Liguilla quarterfinals in a tournament with no Play-In.
What Comes Next
Pumas UNAM visit Atlante on Friday, October 16, at 21:00 Mexico Central time (22:00 CT) at Estadio Banorte. Cruz Azul host FC Juarez on Saturday, October 17, at 21:00 Mexico Central time (22:00 CT) at Estadio Banorte. Check the Liga MX viewing hub for U.S. TV and streaming information as the Jornada 12 schedule approaches.
