Atletico San Luis Stuns Monterrey 3-1 at Estadio BBVA, Climbs Into Midtable

Three goals at Estadio BBVA don't happen every day, especially not with Rayados playing at home. That's exactly what Atletico San Luis pulled off in Matchday 6 of the Apertura 2026, walking away with a 3-1 win over Monterrey. The result pushed them into the middle of the table, now sitting on six points in 13th place overall. It's not a spot to celebrate just yet, but it's a foundation to start dreaming about a Liguilla run.

San Luis had opened the tournament with mixed results. They fell 2-3 to Cruz Azul at home on Matchday 1, drew 2-2 on the road against Tigres, ground out a solid 0-0 against Tijuana, and then took a hard hit: a 3-0 loss at America. The 1-1 draw against Pachuca on Matchday 5 didn't exactly inspire confidence either. But the win in Monterrey changed the team's outlook right before a demanding stretch of the schedule.

Because what's coming isn't easy. On Saturday, September 5 at 5:00 pm (Mexico City time), they'll host Chivas, with the match airing on ESPN and Disney+. After that comes Leon (September 12), Necaxa (September 19, also on ESPN and Disney+), and Pumas on September 27. October brings Santos, Toluca, Queretaro, and Atlante, and November will close out the regular phase with Atlas, FC Juarez, and Puebla. It's a long slate against all kinds of opponents, one that will determine whether Diego Mejia's project truly takes the next step.

The pieces holding the project together

Under Mejia, goalkeeper Andres Sanchez remains the reference point between the posts and an important voice in the locker room. Up front, the weight falls on Joao Pedro, a two-time scoring champion, alongside Sebastien Salles-Lamonge and Santiago Munoz, who arrived at the start of the year to give the attack a different look. These are the names that need to show up week after week if San Luis wants to fight for a spot among the top eight.

It's worth remembering where this club came from to understand what each season in the top flight means. Atletico San Luis was founded in 2013 and refounded in 2017 as part of the international expansion of Atletico Madrid, the franchise's majority owner. That's the source of the red, white, and blue colors, and the crest that blends the Colchonero identity with the Caja Real del Agua, a symbol of the city. The club earned promotion to the top division in the Clausura 2019, going unbeaten and beating Sinaloa in the final on a goal from Unai Bilbao.

Since then, their best run has been reaching the semifinals, which they did in the Apertura 2023 (eliminated by America) and the Apertura 2024 (eliminated by Rayados). That's the same Monterrey side they just beat on Matchday 6. That history, combined with an uneven start that's now showing signs of improvement, leaves an open question for the rest of the tournament: can this team match that semifinal run, or at least lock down its ticket to the Liguilla?