Santos Laguna beat Pumas UNAM 2-0 in Torreon on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, in Jornada 13 of the Liga MX Apertura 2026. Eduardo Aguirre and Franco Pardo scored from the penalty spot as the hosts won a sixth straight league match.
Pumas UNAM played almost the entire match with 10 men after Nathan Silva was sent off in the opening minutes. Santos Laguna move to 19 points and stay ninth, one point outside the direct Liguilla places, while Pumas UNAM stay 11th on 16 points.
Quick Match Summary
Result: Santos Laguna 2-0 Pumas UNAM
Goal scorers: Santos Laguna: Eduardo Aguirre 6′ (pen.), Franco Pardo 80′ (pen.). Pumas UNAM: None
Red cards: Pumas UNAM: Nathan Silva
Venue: Estadio TSM Corona, Torreon
Competition: Liga MX Apertura 2026, Jornada 13
Santos Laguna vs Pumas UNAM Match Recap
The match turned in its first sequence. Inside the first minute, Nathan Silva brought down Ezequiel Bullaude in the area and the referee pointed to the spot.
Silva was sent off for the foul, leaving Pumas UNAM a man down with almost the whole match to play. Aguirre converted the penalty in the 6th minute.
Santos Laguna controlled the ball from there, finishing with 66 percent possession and an 8-3 edge in corners. They could not turn that control into an open-play goal.
Efrain Orona went off injured in the 21st minute, replaced by Jonathan Perez. The score stayed 1-0 into half-time.
Pumas UNAM stayed in the match with 10 men. Cesar Huerta, back in the starting lineup after a one-match suspension, took three of their six shots, and Acevedo saved both efforts the visitors put on target.
The second penalty settled it. Felipe Sanchez headed toward goal in the 78th minute and Ruben Duarte handled the ball in the area. Pardo converted from the spot two minutes later to make it 2-0.
The closing minutes brought a scuffle between the two benches, and a member of the Pumas UNAM coaching staff was sent off. Diego Gonzalez, Mauricio Cuevas and Emanuel Echeverria were booked for Santos Laguna, and Robert Morales was booked for Pumas UNAM.
The Santos Laguna vs Pumas UNAM where-to-watch guide has the full match viewing details for U.S. viewers.
Match Stats
Santos Laguna controlled possession and territory against 10 men, but the shot counts finished level. Both home shots on target were the two penalties, and Acevedo saved both Pumas UNAM efforts on frame.
| Stat | Santos Laguna | Pumas UNAM |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 66% | 34% |
| Total shots | 6 | 6 |
| Shots on target | 2 | 2 |
| Corners | 8 | 3 |
| Saves | 2 | 0 |
Starting Lineups
Santos Laguna (3-4-3)
Starting XI: Carlos Acevedo; Franco Pardo, Felipe Sanchez, Efrain Orona; Mauricio Cuevas, Facundo Caseres, Fran Villalba, Diego Gonzalez; Tahiel Jimenez, Eduardo Aguirre, Ezequiel Bullaude
Head Coach: Renato Paiva
Jonathan Perez replaced the injured Orona early. Emanuel Echeverria, Aldo Lopez, Esteban Lozano and Luis Gomez also came on as Santos Laguna used all five substitutions.
Pumas UNAM (4-4-2)
Starting XI: Keylor Navas; Rodrigo Lopez, Nathan Silva, Ruben Duarte, Pablo Bennevendo; Uriel Antuna, Adalberto Carrasquilla, Pedro Vite, Cesar Huerta; Robert Morales, Juninho
Head Coach: Esteban Solari
Victor Arteaga, Alvaro Angulo, Santiago Lopez and Tony Leone came on in the second half as Pumas UNAM chased the match with 10 men.
Three Takeaways From Santos Laguna vs Pumas UNAM
1. A First-Minute Penalty Changed the Whole Match
Santos Laguna never had to chase this game. The penalty and the red card arrived before Pumas UNAM had settled, and the visitors played almost the entire match a man down.
The pattern held. Santos Laguna kept the ball, Pumas UNAM defended deep, and the insurance goal also came from the spot.
2. Six Straight Wins Have Rebuilt Santos Laguna’s Season
Santos Laguna opened the Apertura 2026 with five straight defeats and no win in seven matches. They have now won six straight, the first six-match league winning streak in the club’s history.
The run has been built on defensive control. Santos Laguna have kept clean sheets in their last two matches.
3. Pumas UNAM Competed but Had No Room for Error
Playing a man down, Pumas UNAM still matched Santos Laguna six shots to six, and Huerta took half of them.
The defeat ends a four-match scoring run for Pumas UNAM. They stay on 16 points with four matches left to close the gap to the Liguilla places.
What the Result Means
Santos Laguna move to 19 points from 13 matches and stay ninth. They are one point behind Queretaro and Monterrey, who hold the last direct Liguilla places on 20 points, and four matchdays remain.
Pumas UNAM stay 11th on 16 points from 13 matches, four points behind eighth place. With four matchdays left, neither club is mathematically through or out.
The gap between the two clubs is now three points. The rest of the Jornada 13 results are in the Liga MX section.
Watch: Santos Laguna vs Pumas UNAM Highlights
Watch the official Santos Laguna vs Pumas UNAM highlights below, including both penalties from Estadio TSM Corona.
What Comes Next
Santos Laguna travel to Tijuana in Jornada 14 on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Estadio Caliente. Kickoff is at 21:10 Mexico Central time (22:10 CT / 23:10 ET).
Pumas UNAM are back home on Saturday, October 24, 2026, when they host Tigres UANL at Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Jornada 14. Kickoff is at 21:10 Mexico Central time (22:10 CT / 23:10 ET).
The Liga MX viewing guide and the Liga MX TV schedule have the U.S. broadcast details for both matches as they are confirmed.
