Paradela’s Late Strike Lifts Cruz Azul Over Puebla

Saturday night at Estadio Cuauhtémoc delivered a classic Liga MX showdown as Cruz Azul edged Puebla 1-0 in a tense and dramatic Jornada 3 clash of the Clausura 2026. Both clubs entered the match seeking back-to-back victories and early-season momentum, but it was Cruz Azul, under the guidance of manager Nicolás Larcamón, who ultimately seized the spotlight thanks to a late strike from José Paradela.

The build-up to this fixture was electric. Cruz Azul, fresh off a 2-0 triumph over Atlas that extended their remarkable unbeaten home run to 27 matches, arrived as clear favorites. Their recent form and a strengthened midfield—bolstered by the arrivals of José Paradela, Agustín Palavecino, and Jeremy Márquez—had many pundits tipping them for a title push. Yet, the narrative was more nuanced, with Larcamón facing his former club in a stadium both teams now call home for the semester. Puebla, for their part, had bounced back from a narrow opening loss to Atlas by dispatching Mazatlán 2-1, signaling they wouldn’t be pushovers.

The match kicked off at 9:00 p.m. local time, with fans tuning in across multiple platforms: Televisa’s TUDN, streaming on VIX, open TV Channel 5, and in the United States via CBS Sports Golazo Network. Betting markets reflected Cruz Azul’s status as favorites, with odds hovering around -180 to -190, while predictive models gave them a 66.6% chance of victory. But as any Liga MX fan knows, numbers don’t always tell the story on the pitch.

Larcamón’s starting XI featured Andrés Gudiño in goal; a back line of Willer Ditta, Erik Lira, and Gonzalo Piovi; wing-backs Jorge Sánchez and Carlos Rodolfo Rotondi; midfielders Jeremy Márquez, Agustín Palavecino, and Carlos Rodríguez; with Paradela supporting forward Gabriel Fernández. Puebla’s lineup, marshaled by Daniel Gutiérrez between the sticks, included defenders Fernando Monárrez, Eduardo Navarro, Nicolás Díaz, and Brayan Garnica, with Carlos Baltazar, Luis Rey, and Alejandro Organista anchoring the midfield and a lively front three of Emiliano Gómez, Esteban Lozano, and Edgar Guerra.

From the opening whistle, Cruz Azul looked to assert their dominance, controlling possession and probing Puebla’s defense with quick passing and overlapping runs. But the hosts soon found themselves with a numerical advantage. In the 10th minute, Puebla’s Fernando Monárrez was sent off for a reckless challenge on Erik Lira, a decision confirmed after VAR review. Suddenly, Cruz Azul had an extra man and the expectation was that they’d capitalize swiftly.

Yet, Puebla dug in, defending with grit and discipline. Cruz Azul peppered the goal with shots—Carlos Rotondi and José Paradela both saw efforts saved or fly wide, while Gabriel Fernández’s aerial threat kept Puebla’s back line on their toes. The first half ended scoreless, despite Cruz Azul’s relentless pressure and several close calls, including a header from Fernández that forced a sharp save from Gutiérrez.

The second half began with tactical tweaks from both managers. Cruz Azul introduced Mateo Levy and Omar Campos, seeking fresh legs and new ideas. Puebla, despite being down a man, refused to fold. They managed a few dangerous counters, with Esteban Lozano and Edgar Guerra testing Gudiño from distance, but the breakthrough remained elusive.

As the match wore on, frustration began to creep in for the home side. Shots from Agustín Palavecino and Gabriel Fernández missed the mark, and Puebla’s defense, led by the tireless Nicolás Díaz, repelled wave after wave of attacks. The tension inside Estadio Cuauhtémoc was palpable—would Cruz Azul’s dominance finally pay off, or was an upset brewing?

Then, in the 77th minute, the deadlock was broken. Following a flurry of corners and sustained pressure, Gabriel Fernández provided a deft assist for José Paradela, who fired a right-footed shot from the center of the area past Gutiérrez and into the net. The stadium erupted as Cruz Azul’s players celebrated a goal that had seemed inevitable but stubbornly refused to arrive until that moment.

Puebla, now forced to chase the game with ten men, threw caution to the wind. In the dying moments, drama struck again: the referee initially awarded Puebla a penalty at the 90th minute, only to overturn the decision after a VAR review, sparking heated protests from the visitors. The final minutes saw Cruz Azul manage the clock expertly, fending off desperate Puebla attacks and nearly doubling their lead through late efforts from Amaury Morales and Rogelio González.

The statistics painted a picture of Cruz Azul’s dominance: more possession, more shots, and a relentless attacking approach. Yet, Puebla’s resilience, even with a man down for 80 minutes, earned them respect. As the final whistle blew, Cruz Azul had secured a crucial 1-0 victory, moving them up the standings and keeping their ambitions for the Clausura 2026 very much alive.

Manager Nicolás Larcamón was quick to praise his squad’s perseverance, stating, “We knew it wouldn’t be easy, even with the advantage. Puebla is a tough side, and tonight we showed character and patience.” His counterpart, Albert Espigares, lamented the early red card but lauded his team’s fighting spirit: “Playing nearly the whole match with ten men is never easy, but we never stopped believing.”

This win marks Cruz Azul’s second straight triumph, following their earlier victory over Atlas, and extends their unbeaten run at home. For Puebla, the defeat stings, especially given the circumstances, but their performance with a man down offers hope for the matches ahead.

Looking forward, Cruz Azul will need to build on this momentum as the Clausura 2026 heats up. The squad’s depth, bolstered by newcomers Paradela, Palavecino, and Márquez, gives them multiple attacking options. However, they’ll need to maintain focus—especially with key players like Andrés Montano, Jesús Orozco, and Kevin Mier unavailable due to injury.

For fans, this match delivered everything promised: tension, controversy, and a late winner. With Monterrey still leading the league and Cruz Azul now firmly in the chasing pack, the race for the top spots in Liga MX is wide open. Can Larcamón’s men sustain their form and push for the title? If Saturday night was any indication, they’re up for the challenge.

As the dust settles on a dramatic night at Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Cruz Azul’s faithful can savor another hard-fought win, while Puebla will regroup, determined to turn adversity into fuel for the rest of their campaign.