Pumas UNAM And León Battle To Dramatic Draw In Mexico City

The Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City set the stage for a tense Liga MX Clausura 2026 Jornada 3 clash as Pumas UNAM hosted León on January 18, 2026. The two sides arrived with contrasting narratives: Pumas, buoyed by a strong start to the campaign and an impressive home record, and León, seeking to shake off recent inconsistency and defensive woes, especially on the road.

Both teams had plenty on the line. For Pumas, the match represented an opportunity to extend their unbeaten run against León, a streak that had stretched to nine previous encounters. León, meanwhile, was eager to end a five-year drought without a win over the university side—dating back to their narrow 1-0 triumph in Clausura 2021, when Ángel Mena netted the winner and Nacho Ambriz stood on the touchline, just as he does today.

The match kicked off at 12:00 local time under clear skies, with fans filling the stands in anticipation. Pumas head coach Efraín Juárez fielded a lineup anchored by veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas, with Pablo Bennevendo, Nathan Silva, Rubén Duarte, and Ángel Azuaje in defense. The midfield featured César Garza, Alan Medina, Adalberto Carrasquilla, and Pedro Vite, while Jorge Ruvalcaba and Juninho led the attack. León’s response came in the form of Óscar García between the posts, a back line of Salvador Reyes, Sebastián Vegas, Stiven Barreiro, and Bryan Colula, with Jordi Cortizo, Ismael Díaz, Fernando Beltrán, and Rodrigo Echeverría in midfield, and Rogelio Funes Mori alongside Diber Cambindo up front.

From the opening whistle, Pumas looked to assert their home advantage, having lost only once in their previous seven league outings at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. Their early-season confidence was evident, stemming from a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tigres UANL in the opening round. León, however, showed no signs of intimidation, pressing high and breaking quickly whenever possession changed hands.

The first half unfolded with both sides trading blows, but it was León who struck first. In the 38th minute, Diber Cambindo rose above the defense to meet a pinpoint corner from Iván Moreno, sending a powerful header into the top right corner. The goal silenced the home crowd momentarily and served as a reminder of León’s attacking potential, despite their recent defensive struggles. Cambindo’s finish was clinical, and the assist from Moreno highlighted the visitors’ ability to capitalize on set pieces.

Pumas, undeterred, pushed forward in search of an equalizer. The home side’s balance between possession and swift transitions kept León’s defense on alert. However, the visitors stood firm, with Óscar García making several key interventions to preserve their lead going into halftime. As the whistle blew, the scoreboard read Pumas UNAM 0, León 1, and the tension in the stadium was palpable.

The second half saw Pumas increase their urgency. Efraín Juárez made tactical adjustments, introducing fresh legs in the form of Guillermo Martínez for Jorge Ruvalcaba and Rodrigo López for Pedro Vite. The impact was immediate, as Pumas began to create more opportunities in the final third. León responded with their own substitutions, bringing on Jordi Cortizo for Ismael Díaz and Fernando Beltrán for Juan Domínguez, aiming to shore up the midfield and maintain their slender advantage.

The intensity of the contest was reflected in the referee’s book, with Jesús Rivas, César Garza, and Adalberto Carrasquilla all receiving yellow cards for Pumas, while Iván Moreno was cautioned for León. The midfield battle grew increasingly physical, and both sides committed numerous fouls as they fought for control.

As the match entered its final stages, Pumas’ persistence paid off. In the 78th minute, Alan Medina delivered a well-placed cross into the box. Juninho, demonstrating his aerial prowess, connected with a powerful header from the center of the area to level the score at 1-1. The stadium erupted as the home supporters celebrated the equalizer, and the momentum appeared to shift in Pumas’ favor.

León, determined not to let another lead slip away, regrouped and sought a late winner. Substitutions continued, with Emilio Rodríguez replacing Iván Moreno and Rogelio Funes Mori coming on for Diber Cambindo. Both teams traded attacking moves in the closing minutes, but neither could find the decisive goal.

The fourth official signaled five minutes of added time, heightening the drama. Pumas pressed forward, winning corners and sending bodies into the box, while León looked to catch their hosts on the break. Yet, both defenses held firm under pressure. Keylor Navas made a crucial save to deny a late León effort, and García was equally alert at the other end.

When the final whistle sounded, the score remained locked at 1-1. The result meant Pumas extended their unbeaten run against León to ten games, maintaining their psychological edge in this fixture. For León, the draw was bittersweet—they had come close to ending their long winless streak against Pumas but ultimately left Mexico City with just a point.

"León a romper la 'hegemonía' de Pumas," was the rallying cry before kickoff, but once again, Pumas proved a tough nut to crack at home. The draw leaves both teams with plenty to ponder as they look ahead to their upcoming fixtures. Pumas will next face Santos on January 30, followed by trips to Atlas and Puebla, while León prepares to host Tigres before traveling to Querétaro and Monterrey.

For Pumas coach Efraín Juárez, the performance reinforced his team’s resilience and ability to respond under pressure. The defensive discipline that had defined their early season was on display, and the attacking contributions from players like Juninho and Alan Medina bode well for the challenges ahead.

Nacho Ambriz’s León, meanwhile, showed flashes of quality but will need to address their defensive lapses if they hope to climb the Liga MX standings. The attacking partnership of Cambindo and Funes Mori offers promise, but consistency remains elusive.

As the dust settles on another dramatic chapter in this rivalry, both sets of fans can take heart from their teams’ fighting spirit. The Liga MX Clausura 2026 is just getting started, and if this encounter is any indication, there’s plenty of excitement still to come.