This Saturday, Necaxa emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over Mazatlán during the 13th round of the Clausura. The first moment of joy for Necaxa came just 14 minutes into the first half when Javier Ruiz found the back of the net, evading the rival goalkeeper and giving his team an early lead.
However, Mazatlán responded with determination, equalizing the score just before halftime at the 39th minute. The game regained its momentum after the break when Alexis Peña skillfully converted a header into a goal at the 55th minute, sealing the win for Necaxa.
Javier Ruiz was undoubtedly the standout player of the match, contributing a goal and attempting three shots at the goal. Cristian Calderón also had a chance to extend the lead in the 67th minute, but his shot hit the post.
Defensively, Alexis Peña was crucial for Necaxa, not only for his goal but also for his overall performance throughout the match.
Coach Martín Varini deployed a 3-6-1 formation, featuring Ezequiel Unsain in goal, with Raúl Martínez, Alexis Peña, and Agustin Oliveros forming the defensive line. The midfield included Ricardo Monreal, Danny Leyva, Kevin Gutiérrez, Lorenzo Faravelli, Javier Ruiz, and Cristian Calderón, while Tomás Badaloni stood as the lone striker.
On the other side, Sergio Bueno’s lineup consisted of a 5-3-2 formation, with Ricardo Rodríguez in the goal, and a defense comprising Sebastián Santos, Facundo Almada, Lucas Merolla, Jair Díaz, and Mauro Zaleta. In midfield, Dudu Teodora, Said Godínez, and Josué Ovalle played, with Brian Rubio and Fábio Gomes leading the attack.
The match was officiated by referee César Ramos Palazuelos at Estadio Victoria.
Looking ahead, Necaxa is set to face Querétaro in their next fixture, while Mazatlán will meet Pumas UNAM away.
With this victory, Necaxa currently stands in ninth place in the league with 16 points, while Mazatlán lags in sixteenth place with 11 points.
Substitutions for Necaxa
68’ 2H – Tomás Badaloni out for Kevin Ante
81’ 2H – Cristian Calderón out for Franco Rossano, and Fábio Gomes out for Jesús Hernández
88’ 2H – Javier Ruiz out for Israel Tello, and Lorenzo Faravelli out for Rogelio Cortéz
Yellow Cards for Necaxa:
44’ 2H – Martín Varini
44’ 2H – Raúl Martínez
49’ 2H – Rogelio Cortéz (Delayed Game)
Substitutions for Mazatlán
65’ 2H – Mauro Zaleta out for Mauro Laínez, and Josué Ovalle out for Billy Arce
74’ 2H – Said Godínez out for Gabriel López, and Lucas Merolla out for Édgar Bárcenas
Yellow Cards for Mazatlán:
47’ 2H – Lucas Merolla
54’ 2H – Jair Díaz
41’ 2H – Billy Arce