In a dramatic turn of events during the fifth round of the Mexican football tournament, Monterrey came from behind to beat Mazatlán 3-2 on Sunday, thanks to a stunning brace from Argentine midfielder Lucas Ocampos.
This victory marked Monterrey’s fourth consecutive win, bringing them to 12 points, which allowed them to catch up with Pachuca at the top of the general standings in the Apertura Tournament. The match, held at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey, started with a bang when Mazatlán took the lead in the 13th minute. José Esquivel fired a powerful shot from inside the penalty area after a weak clearance from Monterrey’s defense.
However, Monterrey responded just two minutes later. Víctor Guzmán leveled the score with a header from a cross sent by Jesús “Tecatito” Corona from the left wing.
Ocampos then put Monterrey ahead in the 26th minute, converting a rebound after Mazatlán’s goalkeeper, Ricardo Gutiérrez, blocked his initial shot. The Argentine made it a double in the dying moments of the first half, scoring a brilliant goal by eluding two defenders and placing the ball into the top-left corner of the net after a precise shot from inside the area.
Mazatlán fought back in the 82nd minute, as Panamanian forward Edgar Barcenas pulled one back for the visitors. Barcenas controlled a cross from Colombian Nicolás Benedetti before unleashing a right-footed shot from inside the area to make it 3-2. However, despite their best efforts, Mazatlán couldn’t find the equalizer, and Monterrey held on for the win.
Earlier in the day, Querétaro pulled off a last-minute 3-3 draw against Atlas, with goals coming from Pablo Barrera, Rodrigo Bogarín, and Lucas Rodríguez in the 58th, 94th, and 98th minutes, respectively. Atlas had taken a 3-0 lead with goals from Argentine Gustavo Del Prete in the 9th minute, Serbian Uros Durdevic in the 69th, and Adrián Mora in the 76th. This thrilling match marked the return of Argentine coach Diego Cocca to Atlas after a three-year absence. Cocca had led the team to back-to-back championships in the Apertura 2021 and Clausura 2022 before his departure.
Other notable results from the weekend included América’s 3-1 comeback victory over Tigres UANL, handing them their first loss of the season. Cruz Azul won 3-2 against Santos Laguna, while Tijuana ended Pachuca’s perfect record with a 2-0 win on the road. Bravos de Ciudad Juárez defeated Guadalajara 2-1, and Toluca and Pumas UNAM played out a 1-1 draw.
At the start of the round, Atlético de San Luis secured a 2-0 away win against Puebla, which led to the resignation of Puebla’s Argentine coach Pablo Guede. Meanwhile, León claimed a 1-0 win in their visit to Necaxa.
Monterrey vs Mazatlán Apertura 2025 Result
Monterrey 3-2 Mazatlán
Lucas Ocampos’ Double Powers Monterrey to Victory
Ocampos played a crucial role in securing Monterrey’s fourth consecutive win, scoring two goals to keep his team in contention at the top of the table.
Apertura 2025 Standings
Monterrey’s win lifted them to 12 points, leveling with Pachuca at the summit of the Liga MX standings.
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Match Summary – Jornada 5 of Liga MX Apertura 2025
- Monterrey 3-2 Mazatlán: Ocampos’ brace delivers a dramatic victory.
- Querétaro 3-3 Atlas: A dramatic comeback in stoppage time.
- América 3-1 Tigres UANL: América ends Tigres’ undefeated run.
- Cruz Azul 3-2 Santos Laguna: A thrilling victory for Cruz Azul.
- Tijuana 2-0 Pachuca: Tijuana hands Pachuca their first loss.
- Bravos 2-1 Guadalajara: A crucial win for Bravos.
- Toluca 1-1 Pumas UNAM: A hard-fought draw for both teams.
- Atlético de San Luis 2-0 Puebla: A solid away win and the resignation of coach Pablo Guede.
- León 1-0 Necaxa: León secures a vital away win.
