Pumas crush Santos to get first home victory of 2026

Pumas got their first victory at home and got it in grand style after crushing Santos Laguna by a 4-0 score. After a great 1st half, Pumas placed the game away and climbed temporarily to the third spot as they continue being undefeated in the 2026 Clausura. Pumas will start their CONCACAF Champions campaign on Tuesday when they travel to the United States to face San Diego FC before returning to Mexico to face Atlas in Guadalajara on Saturday.

The 1st half started with Pumas coming out withe Alvaro Angulo, returning from suspension. New addition Uriel Antuna was on the bench. After getting the ball outside the area, Juninho got off a right footed shot that would go wide. A great cross into the area from Alan Medina would find Jordan Carrillo, who got off a great header past Santos’ goalkeeper, Carlos Acevedo, to score and give Pumas the 1-0 lead. It was a great goal from Carrillo but it came off a terrible mistake from Javier Abella, who lost him and allowed him to get a clear header from close range because of it. A great combination play between Carrillo and Juninho ended with a back pass to Adalberto Carrasquilla, who got off a great shot from outside the area that went thru the hand of Acevedo and into the net to score and give Pumas the 2-0 shot. It was a great play but Acevedo should have done better with the save. Santos would answer back with a cross into the area that Julio Ocejo would head from close range but Pumas’ goalkeeper, Keylor Navas, would make a wonderful save on. A cross into the area would get to a wide open Angulo, whose left footed shot would go wide. A cross into the area was headed well wide by Ezequiel Bulluade. After getting into the area, Jordan Carrillo would make a wonderful play by getting past a defender and getting off a rocket off a low shot that went past Acevedo to score and give Pumas the 3-0 lead. Against his old team, Carrillo was making his statement match. A right footed shot from Ramiro Sordo would be saved by Navas. After a great combination play, Alan Medina got off a great left footed shot that went past Acevedo and into the net to score and give Pumas the 4-0 lead. Pumas was given the best half in the Efrain Juarez era.

The 2nd half started with Santos subbing out Ezequiel Bulluade, Bruno Amione and Javier Abella for Cristian Dajome, Emanuel Echeverria and Haret Ortega. Off a cross into the area, the ball would be deflected into the path of Kevin Balanta, who from close range failed to get off a shot, wasting a good chance. Off a corner kick, the ball fell to Efrain Orona, who got off a close range shot that went straight to Navas. Pumas subbed out Roberto Morales and Alan Medina for Guillermo Martinez and Uriel Antuna, who made his Pumas debut. Off a mistake by Santos, Juninho would get on a 1 vs 1 but his lobbed shot was blocked outside the area by Acevedo’s face as he went to get to the ball. Pumas subbed out Adalberto Carrasquilla for Pedro Vite. Santos subbed out Julio Ocejo for Tahiel Jimenez. Minutes later, Acevedo looked to be dizzy and had to get medical attention after almost vomiting. After being ruled as having a concussion (from Juninho’s shot), he would be sub out (which allowed Pumas to get a sixth substitution too). Hector Holguin got subbed in his place. A cross into the area was almost deflected by Jesus Rivas for an own goal. Off a free kick, Sordo got off a right footed shot that went wide. Pumas subbed out Jordan Carrillo, Cesar Garza and Juninho for Rodrigo Lopez, Jose Caicedo and Dennis Ramirez. Santos subbed out Ramiro Sordo for Kevin Picon. From outside the area, Dajome would get off a great left footed shot that forced a marvelous save from Navas. The match remained the same as Pumas got the solid victory that gave them a boost just prior to their CONCACAF Champions Cup debut.

In their third home match of the 2026 Clausura, Pumas finally got all three points. In what could be the best match since Efrain Juarez became coach, Pumas gave a great 45 minutes where they destroyed a Santos team that didn’t show up. After a very hectic win in which they sold Jorge Ruvalcaba to New York Red Bulls and brought in Antuna as his replacement, Pumas came out swinging. Jordan Carrillo was the best player in the match which is great news for Pumas after a lackluster start to his season. Pumas will need to quickly move on as they start their CONCACAC Champions Cup campaign by playing the first leg of their series against San Dieog FC. They will then travel to Guadalajara to face Atlas before hosting San Diego for the return leg. On the other hand, Santos Laguna’s bad start to the Clausura 2026 continues and they have another tough task when they travel to Monterrey to face last Liga MX finalists, Tigres.