Chivas had everything in place to go into the final matchday of the Apertura 2026 as overall leaders, but a late goal from Paúl Bellón deflated them. Guadalajara threw away a lead at the Nou Camp and were held to a 1-1 draw by León, a result that felt like a defeat.
Red card changes the match
The turning point came in the 52nd minute. José Rodríguez, León’s captain, brought down Santiago Sandoval as the forward was racing clear on goal. The incident went to the VAR review, and the referee confirmed a red card. With a numerical advantage, the home side had the opening they needed to push for the win.
Chivas had already shown the greater attacking intent in the first half. Bryan González, Piojo Alvarado and Sandoval all had chances in the early stages, but none of them could turn their approach play into a goal. The most dangerous moment for León before the break came around the 43rd minute, when their goalkeeper made a sharp save from a header, then recovered to watch the ball hit the post and come back into his hands.
Marín breaks the deadlock, then Bellón strikes late
Chivas kept pressing with the extra man and were rewarded in the 68th minute. A cross from the left seemed to be heading out for a goal kick, but Daniel Aguirre kept the ball alive and pulled it back for Ricardo Marín, who finished into the net. Guadalajara dominated from there and created several chances to extend their lead, but León’s goalkeeper, Oscar García, kept them out.
Just when it looked as though the tournament would have a new leader, León struck back. In the 86th minute, Johan Romaña beat two Chivas players down the right and delivered a cross that Bellón pushed in despite a defender standing in front of him. The equaliser keeps León alive in the race for a place in the Liguilla, while Chivas were left to rue a missed chance to top the table.
Source: www.eluniversal.com.mx
