Pachuca emerged victorious against Pumas UNAM with a decisive 3-1 win at Estadio Hidalgo, securing their place in the Liga MX quarterfinals. The star of the match was Robert Kenedy, who netted twice, showcasing his offensive skills with goals in the 39th minute of the first half and the 54th minute. Enner Valencia added to the scoreline with a stunning strike in the 33rd minute, making the crowd erupt with excitement.
Despite a late goal from Pumas’ Pedro Vite in the 64th minute, it was not enough to change the outcome. Valencia’s goal, a result of a clever play by Alan Bautista, placed the ball in the left corner of the net, rendering the Pumas goalkeeper helpless.
Kenedy was undoubtedly the standout player of the match, demonstrating his prowess with two goals and three attempts on target. Also contributing was Enner Valencia, who not only found the net but also took part in two other scoring opportunities.
Pachuca’s coach, Esteban Solari, deployed a 4-5-1 formation, fielding Carlos Moreno in goal; the defensive line consisted of Brian García, Eduardo Bauermann, Sergio Barreto, and Alonso Aceves. In the midfield were Pedro Pedraza, Alan Bautista, Luis Quiñones, Oussama Idrissi, and Robert Kenedy, with Enner Valencia leading the attack.
On the other side, Pumas UNAM, directed by Efraín Juárez, opted for a similar 4-5-1 setup with Keylor Navas in goal. Their defense included Pablo Bennevendo, Nathanael Ananias, Rubén Duarte, and Álvaro Angulo, while the midfield comprised Pablo Monroy, José Luis Caicedo, Alan Medina, Rodrigo López, and Jorge Ruvalcaba, with Santiago López up front.
The officiating duties were handled by referee Luis Santander Aguirre.
This victory keeps Pachuca’s championship hopes alive as they advance to the next round after overpowering Pumas UNAM.
Pachuca Substitutions
56’ 2T – Enner Valencia out for Jhonder Cádiz
57’ 2T – Robert Kenedy out for Alexei Domínguez
75’ 2T – Oussama Idrissi out for Ari Contreras; Luis Quiñones out for Israel Luna
86’ 2T – Alan Bautista out for William Carvalho
Pumas UNAM Substitutions
45’ 2T – Santiago López out for Pedro Vite; Pablo Monroy out for Ángel Rico
62’ 2T – Alan Medina out for Santiago Trigos
83’ 2T – Rodrigo López out for Stanley García; José Luis Caicedo out for Emiliano Villaseñor
Yellow Cards for Pumas UNAM:
47’ 1T – Pablo Monroy (Holding the opponent to impede progress)
44’ 2T – Santiago Trigos (Unsportsmanlike conduct)