Cruz Azul defeated Necaxa 4-1 on April 27, 2026, at Estadio Banorte, ending a nine-match winless streak and securing third place in the Liga MX Clausura 2026 standings.
The victory came under interim head coach Joel Huiqui, who took charge just 96 hours after Nicolás Larcamón’s dismissal, marking his first win in charge and triggering a wave of support from fans who had endured months of frustration.
José Parela opened the scoring in the 52nd minute with a left-footed finish, followed by Agustín Palavecino’s right-footed strike ten minutes later, both capitalizing on a lethargic first half that had drawn boos from the home crowd.
Necaxa pulled one back through a Ricardo Monreal penalty in the 71st minute, but the momentum shifted decisively when Emilio Lara was shown a direct red card, leaving the visitors a man down.
Luka Romero, making his impact felt immediately after entering the game, curled a free kick into the top corner in the 77th minute to restore Cruz Azul’s two-goal buffer, a moment described across multiple sources as the turning point that killed any hope of a comeback.
Andrés Montaño sealed the result in the fifth minute of stoppage time with a counterattacking finish assisted by Rodolfo Rotondi, completing a dominant second-half performance that saw the home side control possession and territory.
The win carried significant financial and structural implications: Cruz Azul finished the 2025-26 season with 68 points, one more than Toluca, securing the league’s end-of-season bonus of $1 million (approximately €920,000) as the top points accumulator.
This marked the second consecutive season in which Cruz Azul topped the regular season table, a feat underscored by the club’s assertion that it had proven itself the best team in Liga MX over the campaign.
By finishing third, Cruz Azul avoided a potentially tougher quarterfinal draw and will host the second leg of their playoff series against Atlas, who finished sixth after defeating América, with the first leg set for Estadio Jalisco and the decisive match scheduled for Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla.
The return to Estadio Banorte carried symbolic weight, as it marked the club’s first home appearance there in 896 days, following temporary stints at Ciudad de los Deportes, Olímpico Universitario, and Estadio Cuauhtémoc due to stadium availability or scheduling conflicts.
Official attendance was recorded at 20,448, representing 25% of the stadium’s total capacity, a figure that reflected both lingering fan skepticism and a cautious return to normalcy after prolonged uncertainty.
Despite the low turnout, the atmosphere shifted noticeably after the break, with chants in favor of Huiqui emerging from the stands — a notable development given his long history with the club’s youth system since 2019 and his sudden elevation to the senior role.
The victory also served as a form of reconciliation with supporters who had criticized Larcamón’s tenure, particularly after the team’s early exit in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals to Los Angeles FC and the prolonged winless run in domestic league play.
Analysts noted that the timing of the surge — coinciding with the final matchday — was not coincidental, as Cruz Azul had needed the win not only to secure the bonus but also to finalize their playoff positioning and avoid reliance on other results.
While the defensive lapses and lack of cohesion in the first half remained areas of concern, the second-half transformation highlighted the squad’s latent quality and responsiveness to tactical clarity, even under interim leadership.
The performance of players like Romero, who had previously struggled for minutes, and the effectiveness of former Necaxa players Parela and Palavecino — now key contributors — added narrative depth to the victory, blending redemption, opportunity, and tactical execution.
With the Liguilla approaching, Cruz Azul enters the knockout phase not as the favored favorite but as a team that has reasserted its competitiveness, carrying momentum, a financial incentive, and a renewed connection with a portion of its fanbase.
What does finishing third in the table mean for Cruz Azul’s playoff path?
Finishing third ensures Cruz Azul hosts the second leg of their quarterfinal series against sixth-place Atlas, avoiding a potentially more tricky opponent and securing home advantage in the decisive match, which will be played at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla.
Why did Cruz Azul receive a $1 million bonus after this match?
The club earned the bonus by finishing the 2025-26 season with the most points in Liga MX — 68, one more than Toluca — triggering a league-wide award for the top points accumulator over the course of the campaign.