Pumas' poor exhibition leads to Apertura 2026 opening defeat against Pachuca

Pumas began their Apertura 2026 campaign with a dismal performance, suffering a 0-3 defeat against Pachuca at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. The official debut of coach Esteban Solari was far from the desired start, leaving fans with lingering uncertainty about the team's prospects. Pachuca capitalized on Pumas' early struggles, securing a commanding lead within the first 11 minutes. Elías Montiel opened the scoring in the 20th minute, capitalizing on a significant error by Pumas defender Nathan Silva. Salomón Rondón extended Pachuca's advantage in the 31st minute with a header, easily beating defender Rubén Duarte. Despite a more determined attitude in the second half, Pumas failed to mount a serious threat. Their efforts were insufficient to trouble Pachuca's goalkeeper Carlos Moreno, who had a quiet afternoon. Substitutions made by Solari did not yield the desired impact, and the team managed only two shots on target throughout the match. Rondón sealed the victory for Pachuca in the 80th minute, scoring his second goal of the game. The disappointing performance led to audible frustration from the approximately 15,000 fans in attendance, who chanted for greater effort. The team's post-match attempt to engage with supporters after the final whistle was met with boos, underscoring the dissatisfaction with the result. The loss continues Pumas' struggles since their previous final defeat, and Solari's project has started with more questions than answers.

“

put some balls in