Pachuca took a crucial step toward the Liga MX final with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Pumas in the first leg of their semifinal series. The win puts Los Tuzos in the driver's seat, as they only need a draw in Sunday's return leg to punch their ticket to the championship match. For Pumas, the task is clear but daunting: they must win by any score to keep their title hopes alive.
The match, played in front of an electric crowd, unfortunately failed to match the high-octane excitement that has defined this Liguilla. Pachuca came out as the clearly superior side, dictating play from the opening whistle against a surprisingly defensive Pumas lineup that notably left Juninho on the bench.
Pachuca's pressure was relentless in the first half. Adalberto Carrasquilla tested the waters early with a right-footed strike from distance that sailed just wide. Enner Valencia then showcased his trademark skill, weaving past a defender in the box only to see his shot blocked by the legendary Keylor Navas. Kennedy nearly opened the scoring with a clever first touch from a cross, but his left-footed effort lacked power and rolled straight into Navas's arms. Oussama Idrissi was a constant menace, sending multiple dangerous crosses and shots toward goal that Navas had to deal with.
As Pachuca's early dominance began to wane, Pumas failed to seize the moment, offering little in attack. The breakthrough came from a set piece. A defensive mix-up between Navas and his backline gifted Pachuca a corner kick. Idrissi stepped up and unleashed a right-footed shot from outside the area that took a crucial deflection off Nathan, wrong-footing Navas and nestling into the back of the net. It was a deserved lead for the home side, who carried their advantage into halftime.
The second half saw both teams emerge unchanged, but the rhythm remained similar. Valencia came close with a volley from a cross that was blocked by a defender, while Cristian Rivera fired wide from distance. Pumas introduced Uriel Antuna for Rodrigo Lopez in search of a spark, but their best chance came amid controversy. Robert Morales went down in the box appealing for a penalty, but the referee judged it a dive, much to the frustration of the visiting bench.
With the return leg looming on Sunday, all eyes will be on whether Pumas can rediscover their attacking form or if Pachuca's disciplined performance will be enough to see them through to the final.