Apertura approaches its climax: Headlines from Liga MX Week 16

Week 16 of the Apertura 2025 tournament got underway with intensity on Friday, October 31. Necaxa cruised to a commanding 4-1 win over Santos Laguna at Estadio Victoria, keeping their play-in hopes alive. With 16 points, Los Rayos are now just one behind Santos, who remain stuck at 17 and risk falling out of contention.

The hosts struck early when a deflection off Bruno Amione found the back of the net in the fifth minute. Díber Cambindo and Tomás Badaloni extended the lead before halftime, and Kevin Rosero capped the scoring with a long-range strike in the 55th minute. Santos’ lone goal came courtesy of Haret Ortega, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback.

Cruz Azul climbs to the top

At Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Cruz Azul blanked Puebla 3-0 to take over as the tournament’s overall leader, with 35 points. Despite rotating his squad, head coach Nicolás Larcamón got a strong response from his players. Polish midfielder Mateusz Bogusz opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, followed by goals from Jeremy Márquez and Omar Campos.

Juárez keeps playoff dreams alive

In another thrilling matchup, FC Juárez stunned Atlético San Luis with a 2-1 comeback win in the dying minutes. Sebastián Pérez Bouquet gave the visitors an early lead, but the Bravos showed grit and resilience. Rodrigo Aguirre leveled the score, and in stoppage time, Avilés Hurtado netted the winner to keep Juárez in the hunt for a direct playoff berth - or at least a play-in spot.

Stalemate in the Clásico Regio

Saturday, November 1 began with a goalless draw between Atlas and Toluca. Despite a standout performance from goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, the Zorros are now virtually out of play-in contention. Later that day, Monterrey and Tigres battled to a 1-1 draw in a heated edition of the Clásico Regio. Sergio Canales and Ángel Correa each found the net, while red cards on both sides added drama to the rivalry. Tigres now sit on 33 points, with Rayados close behind at 31.

América stays sharp

At Estadio Azteca, Club América secured a 2-0 victory over León thanks to goals from Allan Saint-Maximin and Rodrigo Aguirre. The win marks América’s tenth of the tournament, bringing their total to 34 points and solidifying their spot among the league’s elite. León, meanwhile, are officially out of play-in contention following the loss.

Pumas snap winless streak in style

Pumas ended a seven-match winless run with a dominant 4-1 win over Tijuana, temporarily climbing to 10th place and reigniting their play-in ambitions.

Efraín Juárez’s squad took control early, with first-half goals from José Juan Macías, Álvaro Angulo, and Rodrigo López. In the second half, they managed the game effectively. Although Kevin Castañeda pulled one back for Xolos via a penalty, Rubén Duarte sealed the rout for the home side.

Querétaro keeps play-in hopes alive

Querétaro earned a crucial 1-0 win over Mazatlán, staying in the race for a play-in spot in the Apertura 2025. After a dull first half, Los Gallos Blancos picked up the pace after the break, energized by their home crowd.

The game’s only goal came in the 58th minute, when Barrera broke down the flank and delivered a pinpoint cross to Alí Ávila, who headed home the winner. Mazatlán tried to respond, but poor finishing and a solid outing from goalkeeper Guillermo Allison kept the visitors at bay.

Chivas win on the road at Pachuca

Chivas secured a vital 1-0 away win over Pachuca, thanks to a stunning strike from forward Armando González, who now shares the league’s top scorer honors and will be chasing the individual title on the final matchday. The game tilted early in favor of the Rojiblancos, who are now virtually guaranteed a direct spot in the playoffs.

González continued to threaten in the second half, and finally broke through in the 71st minute with a brilliant turn-and-shoot effort from outside the box. Chivas faced a tense moment just two minutes later when Luis Romo was sent off, but they held firm to close out the win.

Apertura 2025 Week 16 - results:

• Necaxa 4-1 Santos
• San Luis 1-2 FC Juárez
• Puebla 0-3 Cruz Azul
• Atlas 0-0 Toluca
• Monterrey 1-1 Tigres
• América 2-0 León
• Pumas 4-1 Tijuana
• Querétaro 1-0 Mazatlán FC
• Pachuca 0-1 Chivas

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