Match Events
| Min | Team | Card | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28' | Puebla | Goal — F. Monarrez (assist: A. Herrera) | 0-1 | |
| 37' | Cruz Azul | Luka Romero | 0-1 | |
| 44' | Cruz Azul | Goal — L. Romero (assist: J. Marquez) | 1-1 | |
| 45+2' | Cruz Azul | Nicolás Ibáñez | 1-1 | |
| 56' | Puebla | Substitution — A. Herrera on, C. Baltazar off | 1-1 | |
| 56' | Puebla | Substitution — L. Hernandez on, E. Mustre off | 1-1 | |
| 58' | Cruz Azul | Substitution — N. Ibanez on, A. Palavecino off | 1-1 | |
| 58' | Cruz Azul | Substitution — G. Piovi on, W. Ditta off | 1-1 | |
| 67' | Cruz Azul | Substitution — L. Romero on, A. Garcia off | 1-1 | |
| 67' | Cruz Azul | Substitution — G. Fernandez on, O. Campos off | 1-1 | |
| 68' | Cruz Azul | Substitution — C. Rotondi on, C. Ebere off | 1-1 | |
| 77' | Puebla | Substitution — A. Organista on, A. Ramirez off | 1-1 | |
| 78' | Puebla | Substitution — K. Velasco on, B. Garnica off | 1-1 | |
| 82' | Cruz Azul | Goal — C. Ebere (assist: J. Paradela) | 2-1 | |
| 84' | Puebla | Alonso Ramirez | 2-1 | |
| 87' | Puebla | Substitution — S. Sanabria on, M. Tomas off | 2-1 | |
| 90+5' | Puebla | Fernando Monarrez | 2-1 | |
| 90+1' | Puebla | Eduardo Mustre | 2-1 |
Cruz Azul made home advantage count at Estadio Banorte on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, edging past Puebla 2-1 in a Liga MX clash that was closer than the stat sheet suggests. The hosts dominated the ball, running out to 67% possession, and piled on 22 shots to Puebla's 10. But it was level at the break, 1-1, after Puebla found a way through against the run of play. Cruz Azul eventually got the goal that mattered, sealing the win despite Puebla's resistance. Puebla will leave frustrated, but not without pride. Fernando Monarrez was excellent all night, picking up the Man of the Match award with an 8.2 rating for a display that kept his side in the game far longer than the numbers deserved. He couldn't quite drag them to a point, though. Cruz Azul's superior threat told in the end, with seven corners and seven shots on target underlining their control, and they'll take the three points as fair reward for a night of near-total pressure.
The Matchup
Cruz Azul beat Puebla 2-1 at Estadio Banorte, and the numbers from the match back up how the game played out. Cruz Azul also had the better share of the ball, holding 67% possession, which usually goes hand in hand with the extra control a winning side tends to show. The shot count told a similar story, with 22 attempts from Cruz Azul against 10 from Puebla over the course of the game. Puebla had their moments and did not make it easy from start to finish, but ultimately came up short on the day. Small margins like this one tend to add up over a season, and results such as this are often what separates teams in the table further down the line. Here is a closer look at exactly how the two sides compared, statistically.
Man of the Match
Match Statistics
Cruz Azul vs Puebla Lineups
Looking Ahead
Cruz Azul have a quick chance to build on this result. Their next test comes at home to Toluca, and how they respond after this result will be worth watching. You can follow the build-up and everything you need to know when Cruz Azul vs Toluca going to play at 26 September 2026 in Liga MX 2026-27.
Puebla, meanwhile, does not have long to wait before getting back out onto the pitch. They are next in action away at Tigres UANL, a game that will give an early sense of how they carry this result forward. Full details are here: Tigres UANL vs Puebla going to play at 27 September 2026 in Liga MX 2026-27.