Chivas Thrash Pumas And Storm To Top Spot In Ap26!

What Guadalajara did tonight belongs in football academies. With total control of the ball from start to finish, efficiency that few can match, and a Rojiblanca Nation that never stopped making the AKRON Stadium pulse, Chivas crushed Pumas 3-0 on Matchday 8 of the Apertura 2026, temporarily taking over first place in the top flight with 17 points.

Those who got to their seats late must be regretting it, because before the clock even reached the 2-minute mark, Gabriel Milito’s team had already set the tone of the match with its trademark style: quick passing sequences, runs into space, and the patience to find the right moments, which led to the opening goal.

With full control of the match in their hands, Guadalajara’s identity became more and more evident, gradually tying up the auriazules. Another moment of brilliance from ‘Sando’ doubled the lead, and in his return to the pitch, Bryan González put the finishing touch on a rout that, yes, was more than clear on the scoreboard, but also leaves even more certainty that the Rebaño means business once again, with substance and quality football.

With that same authority, Chivas will face Mexico’s Clásico next Saturday, September 19, when they visit América at the Estadio Azteca for Matchday 9 of the Apertura 2026, with the giant of Santa Úrsula set to be painted red-and-white once again.

The goals

- A lightning-fast opener! Just 2 minutes in, after several attacks on the university side’s box, Santiago Sandoval arrived at the back post to head home ‘Oso’ González’s cross from the left, catching Navas wrong-footed.

- INTO THE TOP CORNER! In the 55th minute, ‘Santi’ charged again down the right, played a give-and-go with ‘Sepu’, and from outside the box blasted an unstoppable shot into the top corner, once again lifting the Chivahermanos out of their seats.

- Welcome back, ‘Cotorro’! In the 66th minute, with only a few minutes on the field, Bryan González broke through on the left, held up for ‘Efra’s through ball, and fired a scorching shot inside the near post that left Navas with no chance.

The dangerous chances

- In the 17th minute, Romo picked out Marín with a high ball, and he won position before glancing the ball over the goalkeeper, but his effort just went over.- MEXICO’S GOALKEEPER! In the 43rd minute, Pumas launched a Hail Mary from their own end, taking advantage of Rangel being off his line, trying to catch him by surprise, but Raúl got back in time to tip it out for a corner.- In the 50th minute, another ball in behind ‘Oso’ found the run behind Sepúlveda, who tried to finish first-time in the six-yard box but couldn’t make proper contact with the ball.- In the 83rd minute, ‘Cotorro’ tried to replicate his goal, breaking into space and hitting a powerful shot at the near post, but Navas got a hand to it.

Guadalajara 3-0 Pumas(Santiago Sandoval 2’, 55’ and Bryan González 66’)Referee: Maximiliano Quintero HernándezAKRON Stadium

Lineups

Guadalajara: 1 Raúl Rangel; 23 Daniel Aguirre (16 Luis Rey 67’), 3 Diego Campillo, 7 Luis Romo (C); 14 Hugo Camberos (5 Bryan González 57’), 6 Omar Govea (37 Richard Ledezma 57’), 28 Rubén González (AM 79’), 30 Santiago Sandoval (11 Brian Gutiérrez 76’); 25 Roberto Alvarado, 9 Ángel Sepúlveda (10 Efraín Álvarez 57’) and 17 Ricardo Marín.Head coach: Gabriel Milito

Pumas: 1 Keylor Navas (C); 2 Pablo Bennevendo, 5 Rubén Duarte, 6 Natanael Ananias; 7 Rodrigo López, 18 Víctor Arteaga (15 Israel Luna 70’), 21 Uriel Antuna (22 Alan Medina 60’), 45 Pedro Vite (AM 37’) (8 Adalberto Carrasquilla 60’); 14 Luciano Herrera (30 Santiago López 88’), 23 Olavio Vieira (20 Santiago Trigos 70’) and 31 Robert Morales.Head coach: Esteban Solari

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