Santos Laguna pulled off a stunning upset against Club León, winning 2-1 on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at the Estadio Corona during Jornada 11 of the Liga MX Clausura tournament. While León, led by Eduardo Berizzo, came to the match sitting comfortably at the top of the general standings with 26 points, Santos was desperate for points as they were languishing at the bottom with only four.
Prior to the match, León had dominated Santos historically, boasting five matches unbeaten against them, with four wins and one draw. The team seemed poised to extend this run; León had won their last four away matches of the Clausura 2025. They aimed to make history, aiming for eleven unbeaten matches at the start of the tournament, which would have been the first time for any team.
The match kicked off at 17:00 hours local time, and it didn't take long for both teams to feel the pressure. Although the first half saw no goals, the tension was palpable. Teams exchanged dangerous plays, but neither found the back of the net before halftime.
Things began to heat up during the second half. At the 68th minute, the breakthrough came as Stiven Mendoza struck first for León, putting them up 1-0 against Santos. Despite the lead, León faced challenges after Adonis received his second yellow card, reducing them to 10 players and changing the dynamics of the game.
Seizing the opportunity, Santos Laguna leveled the score at 75 minutes, with Ramiro Sordo scoring the equalizer. The goal came after extensive consultation with VAR, confirming the legitimacy of his strike. With renewed energy and motivation, Santos pressed on, pushing for another goal.
Finally, the dramatic moment arrived at the 90+2 minute. Anderson Santamaría found the net, completing the comeback and sealing the game at 2-1. The late goal sent the home crowd ecstatic, bringing euphoria to Santos’ side and despair to the visiting León team, who were caught off guard after dominating much of the match.
This victory marked only Santos Laguna’s second triumph of the tournament, lifting their points to seven, still relegated to the last place but with newfound hope. Their performance proved they’re still capable of competitive play, especially against the league leaders. For León, this was their first defeat of the tournament, but they stayed firmly atop the table regardless, having earned plenty of points prior to this encounter.
The win was particularly significant for Santos, coming just after they broke their previous streak of 16 games without winning (which included early poor performances). With this match, the home team calculated their chances of escaping the bottom before future matches. Santos Laguna now aspires to continue building momentum as they prepare for their next challenge, having tasted what it's like to beat their rivals who previously seemed invincible. The reversal of roles from previous matchups left fans of both teams with plenty to talk about as the Liga MX season rolls on.