Chivas Rout Pumas 3-0, Take Over Apertura 2026 Lead

Three minutes. That's all it took for Chivas to make it clear they weren't here to just play tonight, they were here to send a message. The Rebaño Sagrado routed Pumas 3-0 at Estadio Akron and, thanks to the combination of results in Matchday 8, climbed to the top of the Apertura 2026 standings right before the tournament's most anticipated week.

The match kicked off as if Chivas already had it memorized. A well-worked team move ended with a cross from Rubén González from the left, and there was Santiago Sandoval to connect with a crossing header that beat Keylor Navas in the 3rd minute. That goal set the tone for everything that followed.

Pumas tried to respond, but struggled to find their footing in the match. The university side's clearest chance of the first half came from a long-range shot by Uriel Antuna, well handled by Raúl "Tala" Rangel before halftime. Nothing else came close.

In the second half, Chivas didn't waste much time sealing the result. Ten minutes into the second half, another team move ended with a one-two between Ángel Sepúlveda and Sandoval, who this time finished from mid-range, curling it into the top corner. His second goal of the night, and the second brace of his young Liga MX career.

The third goal carried special meaning. In the 67th minute, Bryan "Cotorro" González scored off an assist from Efraín Álvarez with a near-post shot that left Navas with no chance. It wasn't just any goal: González was back on the field after a month out with a tear suffered during the Leagues Cup match against the Seattle Sounders, with Hugo Camberos covering his spot in his absence.

A Formula That's Becoming a Habit

Something is turning into a pattern for Chivas: striking early on the scoreboard. Over the last three matchdays, the team has opened the scoring in under 10 minutes of play. First it was Roberto Alvarado in the 3rd minute against Pachuca at Estadio Hidalgo, then Sandoval forced an own goal in the 6th minute and Ricardo Marín scored in the 10th minute the following matchday, and now Sandoval struck early again against Pumas.

The result also adds another number to the recent history of this Guadalajara rivalry: Chivas has now gone eight years without losing to Pumas at Estadio Akron. The last time the university side won in Zapopan was in the Apertura 2018, under David Patiño, by a score of 1-2. That win remains the only one Pumas has managed on the road against Chivas, whether at Estadio Jalisco or Estadio Akron, in the last 38 years.

What's coming next is a different animal altogether. Chivas will travel to Estadio Banorte next Saturday to face América with the overall lead on the line. Pumas, meanwhile, will return to Guadalajara to take on Atlas at Estadio Jalisco in Matchday 9.