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TOPSHOT - Atlas' Argentine defender #28 Manuel Capasso celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Liga MX Clausura tournament football match between Atlas and Pumas at Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, on February 7, 2026. (Photo by Roberto ANTILLON / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
A goal a minute from injury tie gave Atlas a 2-2 tie against Pumas. Atlas once again got heroic late goal to stun a Pumas’ side that continues to struggle after their terrible mid week loss in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Atlas will hope to continue their good run when they travel to face Pachuca while Pumas will have a very important match on the return leg against San Diego FC, where an elimination might spell the end of Coach Efrain Juarez’s time at the helm of the team.
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The 1st half started with Pumas coming out with their strongest squad available, sans the injured Adalberto Carrasquilla. From outside the area, Gustavo Ferrareis got off a right footed shot that forced a good save from Pumas’ goalkeeper, Keylor Navas. Cesar Garza would try to get a back pass that was dangerously close to an own goal. A great thru pass was just missed by Eduardo Aguirre, who would have gotten a close range chance had he gotten to the ball. A bad clearance left the ball there for Aguirre, whose close range right footed shot was brilliantly saved by Navas. A cross into the area was headed wide by Aguirre. After a great run by Juninho, he would get off a pass into the area where Pedro Vite would get to it and get off a left footed shot past Atlas’ goalkeeper, Camilo Vargas to score and give Pumas the surprising 1-0 lead. It was the first chance for Pumas in the match as Atlas had dominated so far. A cross into the area would fall for Mateo Garcia, who got off a left footed shot that went past Navas and into the net to score and tie the match at 1-1. While Navas had been playing well, he should have punched the ball but tried to hold on to it and it went thru his hands. After Uriel Antuna was brought down in the area by a pulled shirt from Sergio Hernandez, the referee would give a Penalty kick. Juninho stepped up to take the PK and got off a right footed shot past Vargas to score and give Pumas the 2-1 lead. The halftime whistle blew and although Atlas was the better team, it was Pumas who had the lead at the break.
The 2nd half started with Atlas subbing out Alfonso Gonzalez for Diego Gonzalez. A cross into the area was just out of reach of two Atlas attackers, who would have gotten a close range chance had they gotten to it. Off a counter, Antuna got into the area but his right footed shot was saved by Vargas. Pumas subbed out Jordan Carrillo for Angel Azuaje in a very defensive move. A cross from Garcia would turn into a shot that forced Navas to make a save. A right footed shot from outside the area by Aldo Rocha would go just wide. Pumas subbed out Juninho for Alan Medina. Atlas subbed out Victor Rios and Mateo Garcia for Paulo Rios and Gustavo Del Prete. A good combination play ended with Ramirez getting off a left footed shot from just outside the area that went wide. After Vargas crashed a ball off Antuna, the Pumas attacker would get the cross into the area to Robert Morales, who incredibly didn’t volley it but decided to lower, get past a defender and get off a shot that hit the post. It was a bad miss especially after not getting off the shot with the empty net. A cross into the area was headed wide by Del Prete from close range. Pumas subbed out Uriel Antuna and Robert Morales for Rodrigo Lopez and Guillermo Martinez. Atlas subbed out Gustavo Ferrareis for Luis Gamboa. Off a free kick, Gonzalez got off a great cross into the area where a wide open Manuel Capasso would head the ball into the net from close range to score the goal that tied the match at 2-2. There would be no more scoring as Atlas rescued a deserved tie against a Pumas side that disappointed once again.
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Pumas struggles continue. After a somewhat positive start to the 2026 Clausura, the devastating loss in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup series against San Diego FC had the team crashing down. News that Efrain Juarez’s job as coach was in serious danger, with a number of rumors of possible replacements were numerous in the press. Pumas needed a result against Atlas and almost got them before a late goal dashed their hopes. Yet the tie for Atlas was deserved with the home team being the better team while Pumas once again went on the defensive. A similar strategy spelled doom for Pumas in San Diego and fans will not be happy that it once again didn’t pay off. Pumas will now need to turn things around on Tuesday in the return leg against San Diego FC or this could be the final match for Juarez. Although they lost striker Uros Durdevic to Monterrey earlier in the week, they were able to overcome against Pumas but they will need to have a replacement since their attack looked weak on Saturday night, They will have a tough test next week when they face off against Pachuca but a good result would be an even bigger boost to the team and their 2026 Clausura.
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