Goalkeepers who score, forwards who answer the boos, and Henry Martin's century with America: the best of Matchday 5 in the Apertura 2026

A goalkeeper who leaves his box for the last corner kick and ends up heading the ball into the opponent's net. A forward booed during introductions who answers with a goal and silences the stadium. A captain who reaches a round number just when his team needed a comeback. Matchday 5 of the Apertura 2026 had a bit of everything, and not just on the scoreboard.

The goalkeeper who went from victim to hero

Pachuca had been down to ten men since the 33rd minute and the match was slipping away, with Luis Najera putting Atletico San Luis ahead in the 83rd. With nothing left to lose, on the final corner kick, goalkeeper Carlos Moreno ran into the opposing box and headed home the equalizer, making it 1-1 in stoppage time.

There's history behind the moment. Moreno became the third goalkeeper to score for Pachuca in Liga MX, after Miguel Calero in 2002 and Oscar Perez in 2017. But there's a twist that adds another layer: the last goalkeeper to score in Mexican soccer was Tiago Volpi, from the penalty spot, against Moreno himself back in March 2024. Two years later, the man who conceded that goal was the one celebrating.

From boos to the goal that brings relief

At Estadio Universitario, Tigres went into halftime to whistles despite facing an Atlante side already down to ten men since the 35th minute. Before the match, Rodrigo Aguirre had also heard boos during the starting lineup announcement. The "Buffalo" answered in the 79th minute: Juan Brunetta found him inside the box and the Uruguayan scored the goal that broke the deadlock. Ten minutes later, Brunetta himself sealed the 2-0 with a scissor-kick finish, the first win of Victor Manuel Vucetich's third stint on the Tigres bench.

Brunetta's situation carries an extra layer. His brother, Pedro Brunetta, had publicly questioned the club's front office for not prioritizing his contract renewal, even though the midfielder is signed through December 2027. While the contract talk remains unresolved, the Argentine answered with an assist, a goal, and the scoring lead for Tigres in the Apertura 2026, with three goals so far.

The first night without the "Hormiga"

The match between Chivas and Tijuana kicked off two and a half hours late due to a storm, but it also marked something more symbolic: it was Guadalajara's first official match without Armando "Hormiga" Gonzalez, the reigning scoring champion and now a player for Olympiacos. Santiago Sandoval opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and Ricardo Marin struck twice, in the 31st and in the 45+2 from the penalty spot, in a 5-2 rout.

The numbers tell the story: Chivas had scored just three goals in their first four league matches, and this time they hit that same total in the first half alone. Marin, who had also scored the previous matchday, now has three goals in his last two outings and is starting to look like a real option to fill the scoring void left by Gonzalez.

A century in the middle of a comeback

Juarez took the lead through Oscar Estupinan in the 33rd minute, but Henry Martin equalized five minutes later with a header and completed the turnaround from the penalty spot in the 53rd. That second goal was Henry's 100th for America in Liga MX, a tally that started in January 2018 against Queretaro and which, counting all competitions, has now reached 120 goals in the blue and gold jersey. The win kept America unbeaten and atop the table with 13 points, while Juarez closed out the matchday without adding to their total.

The old-team curse, celebrated quietly

At the 82-year-old Leon club, Jordi Cortizo opened the scoring against his former team, Monterrey, in the 24th minute, barely raising his hands in a subdued celebration. Leon was reduced to ten men after Jhohan Romana's red card in the 66th minute, but Rayados couldn't take advantage: Daniel Arcila sealed the 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 79th.

Ten men, a penalty, and a confession

Toluca played with ten men from the 31st minute against Queretaro but took the lead with a Helinho free kick in the 65th. Santiago Homenchenko headed in the equalizer in the 79th before a controversial finish: Federico Vinas went down inside the box, took the penalty himself, and made it 2-1 in the 90th. After the match, the Uruguayan was honest about the play.

I felt the defender on my back and I let myself fall, though I thought the referee's call was fair.Federico Vinas

It was his first league goal with Toluca, after having scored twice in the Leagues Cup.

From college in the United States to a brace

Santos led twice against Puebla and still ended up losing 3-2. Eduardo Mustre equalized in the 9th and the 54th, before Carlos Baltazar decided the match in the 62nd. Puebla reached ten points; Santos suffered its fifth defeat.

Mustre's story is worth telling: he debuted with Pachuca at age 17 and played just nine minutes. With no room in the first team, he went to the United States to study international relations and played at Florida International University, where he scored 22 goals in 44 college matches and even did an internship at an insurance company before returning to Mexico. Puebla signed him for the Clausura 2026, and he already has three goals in five matches this Apertura, including his first career league brace.

Cruz Azul hits its worst run under Ivan Alonso

Atlas beat Cruz Azul 2-0 with goals from Edgar Zaldivar in the 30th and Florian Monzon in the 45th, the Argentine's first league goal in the red and black jersey. La Maquina suffered its third straight defeat in the Apertura 2026, after losing to Atlante and Tijuana, something that hadn't happened since the Clausura 2023 and marks the worst run since Ivan Alonso took over as sporting director. Counting all competitions, it's also three losses in a row, against Chicago Fire, Tijuana, and Atlas, coming right after a ten-match unbeaten streak under Joel Huiqui that included the Clausura 2026 title. Erik Lira was also absent for the match against Atlas, left out of the squad while his possible move to Europe is being sorted out.

A lethal return and a booed player who answers

Necaxa took the lead against Pumas with a goal from Julian Carranza in the 76th minute, returning from suspension after his red card against Toluca. The Argentine keeps up a striking record: he's played four matches this Apertura and scored in all four. Necaxa let the win slip away in the 88th, when Luciano Herrera, just off the bench, scored his first Liga MX goal off an assist from Guillermo Martinez.

Herrera arrived off a turbulent Leagues Cup debut against Columbus Crew, where he scored and was sent off a minute later, and after being booed in his following appearance at Ciudad Universitaria against Queretaro. Since the 5-1 rout of Juarez, Pumas have scored just twice in five official matches, and both goals have been his.