The Rojiblancos’ forward, João Pedro Galvão, was the standout performer, contributing a brace in his team’s convincing 4-1 win against the Guerreros. The match saw Kevin Balanta score for the hosts at the 17th minute of the second half. Santos Laguna’s goals came from Juan Sanabria (36’ 1T, from a free kick), Benjamín Galdames (4’ 2T), and two strikes from João Pedro Galvão (14’ 2T and 27’ 2T).
In the early stages of the match, Santos Laguna’s Bruno Barticciotto missed a penalty in the 10th minute, which could have put the visitors ahead.
Juan Sanabria was pivotal in the game, not only for his vital goal but also for his overall defensive performance. He executed a stunning long-range free kick in the first half that found the net, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
João Pedro Galvão also made an impression with his two goals and five shots on target, showcasing his attacking prowess.
Santos Laguna’s coach, Francisco Farinós, opted for a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Carlos Acevedo in goal; José Abella, Haret Ortega, Kevin Balanta, and Bruno Amione in defense; with Aldo López, Javier Güémez, Cristian Dájome, Kevin Palacios, and Fran Villalba in midfield; and Bruno Barticciotto leading the attack.
On the other side, Guillermo Abascal deployed Atl. de San Luis in a similar 4-5-1 formation with Andrés Sánchez as the goalkeeper; Roman Torres, Robson Bambu, Eduardo Águila, and Juan Sanabria in defense; Benjamín Galdames, Sebastián Pérez Bouquet, Sébastien Salles, Miguel García, and Óscar Macías in midfield; and João Pedro Galvão upfront.
The match, officiated by referee Abraham Quirarte Contreras, saw several substitutions for Santos Laguna, starting with José Abella replaced by Ramiro Sordo in the 56th minute. Other changes included Aldo López for Jordan Carrillo and Bruno Barticciotto for Jesús Ocejo in the 57th minute, followed by Fran Villalba for Salvador Mariscal in the 61st, and Bruno Amione for Emmanuel Echeverría in the 67th minute.
In terms of discipline, Kevin Balanta was cautioned in the 56th minute for unsporting behavior. For Atl. de San Luis, Roman Torres received a yellow card for unsporting conduct in the 5th minute of the first half.
In their next fixtures, the Guerreros will play at home against Tijuana, while the Rojiblancos will host Club América.
This result allowed the hosts to gather 7 points and sit in 14th place in the tournament standings. Conversely, the visitors collected 10 points, placing them in 11th position.
Substitutions for Santos Laguna
56’ 2T – José Abella off for Ramiro Sordo
57’ 2T – Aldo López off for Jordan Carrillo and Bruno Barticciotto off for Jesús Ocejo
61’ 2T – Fran Villalba off for Salvador Mariscal
67’ 2T – Bruno Amione off for Emmanuel Echeverría
Yellow card for Santos Laguna:
11’ 2T – Kevin Balanta (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Atl. de San Luis
64’ 2T – Miguel García off for Aldo Cruz
75’ 2T – Sebastián Pérez Bouquet off for Jahaziel Marchand
89’ 2T – Sébastien Salles off for Yan Phillipe, Roman Torres off for Julio Domínguez, and Benjamín Galdames off for João Lourenço
Yellow card for Atl. de San Luis:
5’ 1T – Roman Torres (Unsporting behavior)