The Liga MX Clausura 2025 Matchday 12 saw dramatic shifts at the top of the table as León faced back-to-back losses, allowing Club América to seize the top spot. Over the weekend from March 14 to 16, several teams delivered impressive performances, which could drastically affect their playoff aspirations.
On Friday, March 14, Necaxa dealt León their second consecutive defeat with a scoreline of 2-1 at Estadio Victoria. Johan Rojas opened the scoring early, netting the first goal at the 15th minute. Although León's Alejandro Andrade was sent off with a red card shortly after, León managed to maintain some hope as Diber Cambindo struck to bring the score to 2-1 by netting his 11th goal of the season. Jhonder Cádiz added another goal for León, but it proved insufficient as Necaxa held on to secure the win, marking their seventh victory of the season.
Meanwhile, Querétaro edged past Mazatlán with a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to Rodrigo Bogarín's strike at the 24th minute. The match featured intense defensive efforts, particularly after both teams were reduced to ten men due to double yellow cards handed to Bogarín and Mauro Lainez.
Also on Friday, Toluca showcased their offensive prowess by defeating Puebla 3-0, maintaining their momentum with Jesus Gallardo's opening goal followed by scoring contributions from Paulinho and Alexis Vega, who netted from the penalty spot to seal the victory. This triumph reinforced Toluca's title ambitions as they climbed closer to the top of the table.
On Saturday, March 15, Tigres triumphed decisively over Santos Laguna, scoring 3-0. Despite having Marcelo Flores' goal disallowed earlier on, the match featured own goals from Santos players Emmanuel Echeverría and Edson Gutierrez, contributing to Tigres’ flourishing form under newly appointed coach Guido Pizarro. Tigres' performance allowed them to continue their pursuit of the league leaders.
Cruz Azul also enjoyed success, defeating San Luis 3-0. Angel Sepúlveda shone with two quick-fire goals within the first 15 minutes, demonstrating Cruz Azul’s attacking capabilities, and Andrés Montaño capped off the night with his first league goal. This win placed Cruz Azul firmly within the playoff contention.
Juárez and Chivas engaged in a tightly contested battle, ending 1-1. Juárez's Ángel Zaldivar found the net early, but Miguel Gómez salvaged a point for Chivas with his equalizer late in the game, demonstrating the competitive spirit of the league.
The evening culminated with Club América extending their lead at the top by defeating Atlas 3-1 at Estadio Jalisco. Rodrigo Aguirre stole the spotlight, scoring twice, alongside Cristian Calderón giving América control early on. Although Atlas pulled one back through Uros Djurdjevic, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome, solidifying América's position as the team with the least losses.
Finally, on Sunday, March 16, Monterrey faced Pumas, where they emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline. Sergio Canales converted from the penalty spot, and Sergio Ramos received criticism after being sent off for an aggressive push on Pumas' Guillermo Martínez. Although Pumas managed to score through another penalty later, they could not recover from Monterrey's strong showing, indicated by three disallowed goals for offside.
Pachuca also delivered their first win following draws, defeating Tijuana 4-1. A varied scoring sheet with four different players on target highlighted Pachuca's offensive potential as they dropped Tijuana to the bottom of the league.
This weekend's matches have drastically tightened the Liga MX standings. With Club América now leading on 27 points and León slipping to 26, this season is beginning to take shape as teams jockey for play-off positioning. The teams from 3rd through 8th also secured wins, ensuring the race remains competitive as the playoffs draw closer.
Fans can only wonder which team will rise atop the standings next during the intense weeks to come. The result of this matchday shows just how packed and unpredictable this Liga MX season has become.
