On September 11, Necaxa and Puebla faced off in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
The match remained 0-0 through second-half stoppage time, when Puebla scored the winning goal on a late counterattack.
This one goal showed why the two teams, competing in the middle of the table, were separated by no more than 3 points in the standings.
3-Line Summary
1. Puebla defeated Necaxa 1-0
2. The winning goal came in the 3rd minute of second-half stoppage time
3. One late moment decided the 3 points
90+3 Minutes, Matías Tomás’s Left-Footed Shot
Necaxa and Puebla met on September 11 in Round 8 of the Liga MX Apertura 2026. The match was played in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Neither side scored through most of the first and second halves, and the match was decided only after the end of regulation time.
According to the Mediotiempo match record, in the 3rd minute of second-half stoppage time, Matías Tomás of Puebla attempted a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, assisted by Alejandro Organista. The ball headed toward the upper-left corner, and the recorded score became Necaxa 0-1 Puebla.
6 minutes of stoppage time were awarded. Necaxa earned a corner after conceding, and Agustín Oliveros also took a shot, but it went wide of the goal. The key point is that this was not simply a result Puebla earned by holding out for a long time; it was a victory in which they converted a counterattacking opportunity that arrived late in the match. Tomás also attempted a left-footed shot from the left flank in the 82nd minute, but it was blocked. His one chance in stoppage time remained on the scoresheet.
The Pre-Match Difference in the Standings Was Only 2 Points
This match was difficult to view as simply a game between two teams near the bottom of the table. In the pre-match records presented by Mediotiempo, Necaxa were 13th with 8 points, while Puebla were 10th with 10 points. Necaxa entered the match after drawing 1-1 away to Tigres, while Puebla came in after losing 0-2 to América.
Puebla had won their previous two matches in succession before their defeat to América interrupted that run. Necaxa, meanwhile, had an opportunity at home to move out of the middle of the table. As a result, the late winning goal became more than a single match result: it directly created distance in the standings race between the two teams.
In particular, before the match, Necaxa were described as being 2 points behind eighth-place Querétaro. Puebla were also 3 points behind fifth-place Atlas. This was not a race to suddenly challenge the top of the table, but a competition to secure even a slightly better position within the middle of the standings. In such a situation, the difference between a draw and a win leaves a greater mark.
The Gaps Puebla Were Carrying Were Also Significant
Puebla had also experienced changes among their attacking options ahead of the match. The MILENIO column pointed out that Emiliano Gómez’s transfer and Eduardo Mustre’s injury had altered the team’s plans. The same article assessed Gómez as a player who had been capable of creating danger in attack and changing the flow of matches.
Gómez was reported to have transferred to Tigres. Puebla had to face Necaxa while carrying a gap in their squad, and during the match they brought on Lucas Camilo for Brayan Garnica and José Pachuca for Carlos Baltazar. The specific significance of this victory lies in the fact that they created the decisive moment in stoppage time despite the changed lineup.
MILENIO viewed this as an important match for Puebla as they sought to remain in the upper-middle portion of the table. This is the column’s assessment, but when the small pre-match points gap and the late winning goal are considered together, it is clear why this matchup was so closely contested. For Necaxa, it became points lost at home; for Puebla, it became 3 points secured despite their changed attack.
References
Tags #Necaxa #Puebla #NecaxaPuebla #LigaMX #Apertura2026 #MexicanFootball #MatíasTomás #PueblaVictory #MatchResult #Aguascalientes #SecondHalfStoppageTime #WinningGoal