Necaxa beat Tijuana 1-0 at Estadio Victoria on Friday night in Jornada 16 of the Liga MX Apertura 2026, ending a 13-match winless run that stretched back to Jornada 2.
Danny Leyva scored the only goal in the 12th minute, finishing a Lorenzo Faravelli assist. The win is Necaxa’s third of the tournament and the first under head coach Juan Reynoso.
Tijuana stay on 22 points after a first defeat in seven league matches. Their six-match unbeaten run is over, and they remain without an away win in the Apertura 2026.
Result: Necaxa 1-0 Tijuana
Goals: Necaxa: Danny Leyva 12′.
Competition: Liga MX Apertura 2026, Jornada 16
Venue: Estadio Victoria, Aguascalientes
Necaxa vs Tijuana Match Recap
Tijuana threatened first, with Ignacio Rivero and Adonis Preciado having early efforts blocked inside the area. Necaxa answered through Emilio Rodriguez, who forced José RodrÃguez into a save.
The goal came in the 12th minute. Faravelli supplied the pass after a corner sequence, and Leyva struck a right-footed shot from outside the area into the left corner.
Tijuana pushed for an equalizer before halftime. Rivero headed wide, Francisco Gonzalez shot narrowly past the post, and Gilberto Mora was involved in a sequence that ended with blocked attempts.
Both coaches changed at halftime. Juan Valencia replaced Julián Carranza for Necaxa, while Tijuana brought on ElÃas Manoel and Unai Bilbao.
Tijuana created their clearest second-half chances around the hour mark. Rivero tested Javier Orantes from a cross, and Preciado forced another save from close range a minute later.
Necaxa had chances to add a second. Diego Ochoa shot from distance, and late efforts from Leroy Davis III and Mauro Zaleta did not find the target.
There were no red cards and no penalties. Rafael Fernandez and Iván Tona were booked for Tijuana, and Raúl MartÃnez was booked for Necaxa.
The 1-0 halftime score held to full time. Necaxa’s previous league win was the 2-1 home victory over Monterrey on July 26, 2026, in Jornada 2. See FutnSoccer’s recap of Necaxa’s Jornada 15 defeat at Santos Laguna for the match that preceded this one.
Match Stats
| Stat | Necaxa | Tijuana |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 42% | 58% |
| Shots | 15 | 15 |
| Shots on target | 6 | 3 |
| Corners | 5 | 6 |
| Saves | 3 | 5 |
| Fouls | 7 | 8 |
Match data: Sportradar.
Starting Lineups
Necaxa: Javier Orantes; Raúl MartÃnez, Kaiky Naves, AgustÃn Oliveros, Mauro Zaleta; Diego Ochoa, Owen Gonzalez, Lorenzo Faravelli, Danny Leyva, Emilio Rodriguez; Julián Carranza.
Tijuana: José RodrÃguez; Rafael Fernandez, Jackson Porozo, Pablo Ortiz, Jesús Gómez; Iván Tona, Ignacio Rivero, Francisco Gonzalez, Gilberto Mora, Adonis Preciado; Mourad El Ghezouani.
Three Takeaways From Necaxa vs Tijuana
1. The winless run finally ends for Necaxa
Necaxa had gone 13 league matches without a win since beating Monterrey 2-1 on July 26, 2026. Leyva’s early goal and a clean sheet closed that run at Estadio Victoria.
The result is also a first win in charge for Reynoso. Necaxa were already eliminated from Liguilla contention before kickoff, so the value here is closing the tournament with a result at home.
2. Tijuana had the ball but not the finishing
Tijuana finished with 58 percent possession and 15 shots, level with Necaxa on attempts. Only three of those shots were on target, compared with six for Necaxa.
Orantes made three saves for Necaxa. Tijuana’s best spell came around the hour mark, but Rivero and Preciado were both denied and no equalizer followed.
3. Tijuana’s margin inside the top eight shrinks
Tijuana stay on 22 points and are now without a win in three straight matches, after draws with Club America and Monterrey. Their six-match unbeaten run has also ended.
They also remain winless away from home this tournament, with six draws and two defeats on the road. Their final match is at home, where their record is stronger. Read FutnSoccer’s recap of Tijuana’s 3-3 draw at Monterrey for their previous outing.
What the Result Means
Necaxa move to 13 points from 16 matches, with three wins, four draws and nine defeats. They were already eliminated before this match, and one fixture remains in their Apertura 2026.
Tijuana stay on 22 points from 16 matches, with five wins, seven draws and four defeats. They began the night in sixth place, level on points with the clubs in seventh and eighth.
Jornada 16 is not complete, with matches still to finish on Friday and more across Saturday and Sunday. Any change to Tijuana’s position inside the top eight is therefore provisional until the jornada settles.
The top eight advance directly to the Liguilla quarterfinals in the Apertura 2026, with no Play-In. Tijuana’s place will be decided on the final weekend. For the full fixture list, see the Liga MX schedule page.
What Comes Next
Tijuana close the regular season at home against Atlante on Friday, November 20, 2026, at Estadio Caliente. Kickoff is 9:00 PM CT (7:00 PM PT local, 10:00 PM ET).
Necaxa finish away at Queretaro on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at Estadio La Corregidora. Kickoff is 7:00 PM CT (8:00 PM ET).
Both matches follow the November international break. See the Liga MX viewing hub for how to watch the final jornada in the United States.
