Atlante hosts Pachuca at the Banorte looking to protect home unbeaten run

Estadio Banorte has turned into a fortress. There, Atlante has yet to taste defeat in this Apertura 2026, and that fact carries weight ahead of hosting Pachuca in Matchday 8, a game that opens the weekend's action this Friday.

Los Potros returned to Primera División and, so far, can point to a strong start. Miguel Herrera's project is now looking to take the next step: stop being just the surprise team of the season and start truly fighting for a spot in the playoff positions. To do that, picking up all three points at home against an opponent of Pachuca's caliber would send a clear message to the rest of the table.

Because this is no ordinary opponent. Los Tuzos opened the tournament with a blowout win in Matchday 1 that suggested a big semester was coming, but irregularity has since crept into the Hidalgo side. A road win in Cancun, Atlante's home turf, could be exactly the boost they need to get back on track.

How they arrive at Estadio Banorte

In Matchday 7, Atlante visited Atlas and came away with a 1-1 draw, a result that isn't bad but also doesn't fully solve the need to pick up three points. Pachuca, on the other hand, arrives in sturdier form: they won by two goals on the road in Ciudad Juarez, a result that restores some confidence right before the trip to Quintana Roo.

In the overall standings, Atlante sits in 14th place, while Pachuca is three spots above. The gap isn't huge, and a home win for the blue and gold would close it immediately.

For this match, Herrera could send out Oscar Jimenez in goal, with a back line made up of Armando Escobar, Aaron Quiros, Eduardo Tercero and Cristobal Alfaro. In midfield, Walter Portales, Luis Calzadilla, Martin Sarrafiore and Eugenio Pizzuto could get the nod, with Jhojan Julio and Luis Puente as the attacking references.

On Pachuca's side, the probable lineup would have Carlos Moreno in goal, protected by Francisco Venegas, Sergio Barreto, Eduardo Bauermann and Carlos Sanchez. Christian Rivera and Sergio Rodriguez would round out the midfield, while Oussama Idrissi, Elias Montiel and Robert Kenedy would accompany scorer Salomon Rondon up front.

The match is set for Friday, September 11, at 9:00 p.m. Mexico City time (10:00 p.m. in Ecuador, Colombia and Peru; 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time; midnight in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile), with Estadio Banorte as the venue.

Atlante arrives with hopes intact of keeping its home unbeaten streak alive and continuing to climb the table. Pachuca, for its part, needs a result that snaps its inconsistency and restores its rhythm before the tournament moves further along and the math gets more complicated.