Santos Laguna beat Necaxa 1-0 at Estadio TSM Corona on Sunday, November 1, 2026, in Jornada 15 of the Liga MX Apertura 2026, on a 72nd minute own goal by Necaxa substitute Matías Espíndola.
The win lifts Santos Laguna provisionally into eighth place on 22 points. Necaxa stay 17th on 10 points and are now 13 league matches without a win.
Result: Santos Laguna 1-0 Necaxa
Goals: Santos Laguna: Matías Espíndola own goal 72′.
Competition: Liga MX Apertura 2026, Jornada 15
Venue: Estadio TSM Corona
Santos Laguna vs Necaxa Match Recap
Necaxa produced the clearest chance of the first half. Juan Valencia struck the left post in the 18th minute and could not convert the rebound.
Valencia finished the match with seven shots, five of them on target. Carlos Acevedo stopped every Necaxa effort that reached him.
Necaxa thought they had a penalty late in the first half. The award was checked by VAR, and no penalty was given.
The first half ended 0-0. Santos Laguna had registered three shots on target by full time, while Necaxa put nine on target.
Kevin Palacios replaced defender Jonathan Perez in the 38th minute.
Ezequiel Bullaude tested Javier Orantes in the 61st minute. The Necaxa goalkeeper turned the effort away, and the match stayed level.
The only goal arrived in the 72nd minute. Mauricio Cuevas drove in a cross from the right, and Espíndola turned the ball into his own net.
Espíndola had entered the match as a Necaxa substitute. His own goal stood as the winner, because Necaxa produced no equalizer in the closing minutes.
Danny Leyva forced one late save from Acevedo in the 90th minute. Santos Laguna held on through five minutes of added time.
There were no red cards and no penalties taken. Felipe Sanchez was booked for Santos Laguna, and Mauro Zaleta, Diego Ochoa and Lorenzo Faravelli were booked for Necaxa.
Santos Laguna arrived after a 4-1 defeat at Tijuana in Jornada 14. Necaxa arrived after a 1-1 draw with FC Juarez.
Match Stats
| Statistic | Santos Laguna | Necaxa |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 50% | 50% |
| Shots | 6 | 15 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 9 |
| Corners | 12 | 6 |
| Saves | 9 | 3 |
Source: Sportradar match data.
Starting Lineups
Santos Laguna: Carlos Acevedo; Mauricio Cuevas, Jonathan Perez, Franco Pardo, Felipe Sanchez, Emmanuel Echeverría; Eduardo Aguirre, Fran Villalba, Facundo Cáseres, Ezequiel Bullaude; Tahiel Jiménez.
Necaxa: Javier Orantes; Raúl Martínez, Kaiky Naves, Agustín Oliveros, Diego Ochoa; Owen Gonzalez, Danny Leyva, Lorenzo Faravelli, Emi Rodriguez, Mauro Zaleta; Juan Valencia.
Three Takeaways From Santos Laguna vs Necaxa
1. Acevedo Delivers the Clean Sheet Behind Nine Saves
Carlos Acevedo made nine saves, the full Necaxa total of shots on target. No Necaxa player beat him in 95 minutes.
Valencia alone forced five saves and also hit the post in the first half. Acevedo’s clean sheet is Santos Laguna’s fourth straight at home.
The home run supports the result. Santos Laguna have now won five straight matches at Estadio TSM Corona.
2. An Own Goal Decides a Match Necaxa Led on Shots
Necaxa outshot Santos Laguna 15 to 6 and led shots on target 9 to 3. The scoreboard still finished 1-0 to the home team.
The winner came from a Necaxa player. Espíndola’s 72nd minute own goal, from Cuevas’ cross, was the only goal of the match.
Santos Laguna did lead corners 12 to 6. That pressure produced the crossing situation that forced the decisive error.
3. Necaxa’s Winless Run Reaches 13 Matches
Necaxa have not won since Jornada 2. This defeat extends their winless league run to 13 matches, with four draws and nine defeats.
They remain winless away from home this tournament. Their road record is now three draws and four defeats from seven matches.
Necaxa were already eliminated before kickoff. They stay 17th, two points above last place FC Juarez, with two matches left.
What the Result Means
Santos Laguna move provisionally to eighth place on 22 points from 15 matches. Their record is seven wins, one draw and seven defeats, with 21 goals scored and 20 conceded.
The position is provisional. Cruz Azul vs Leon closes Jornada 15 later on Sunday night, and Leon, also on 22 points from 14 matches, can still change the order.
Monterrey sit ninth on 21 points from 14 matches. Tijuana and Leon both hold 22 points, so the cutoff race stays tight with two matchdays left.
Apertura 2026 has no Play-In. Only the top eight advance directly to the Liguilla quarterfinals, and Santos Laguna currently hold the final place.
Santos Laguna have not clinched anything. Two matches remain, at Atlante and at home to Leon, and the Leon match now carries direct cutoff weight.
Necaxa stay 17th on 10 points from 15 matches. Their record is two wins, four draws and nine defeats, and their elimination was already confirmed before this match.
Watch: Santos Laguna vs Necaxa Highlights
Watch the official TUDN USA highlights of Santos Laguna vs Necaxa below.
What Comes Next
Santos Laguna visit Atlante in Jornada 16 on Friday, November 6, 2026. Kickoff at Estadio Banorte is 21:00 Mexico Central time (21:00 CT, 22:00 ET).
Necaxa host Tijuana on the same day. Kickoff at Estadio Victoria is 19:00 Mexico Central time (19:00 CT, 20:00 ET).
See FutnSoccer’s where to watch guide for this match, the Liga MX viewing hub and the Liga MX schedule page for viewing information.
