Toluca thrashes 3-1, leaving Club Necaxa with 6 points in Liga MX

Club Necaxa loses 3-1 to Toluca and stays with 6 points

In matchday 3 of the Apertura 2026, Club Necaxa fell 3-1 to Toluca at Estadio Nemesio Díez, leaving the side with 6 points, 8th in the standings and just 1 point behind leader Club América. The result keeps Necaxa at 2 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss, with 5 goals scored and 5 conceded.

What happened in the match?

Toluca took the initiative from the first whistle, pressuring Necaxa and creating early chances. The first goal came in the 29th minute when Edgar Iván López, known as "El Gacelo", received the ball inside the box, turned and shot to the lower right corner, beating keeper Jiménez. Necaxa answered before halftime with a header from Julián Carranza in the 42nd minute after a corner, but the play was reviewed by VAR and confirmed.

How did Julián Carranza's red card affect the game?

After the goal, referee Jesús Rafael López showed a red card to Julián Carranza for covering his mouth and insulting Pereira. The dismissal left Necaxa with nine men, complicating their comeback attempt. In the second half, Toluca exploited the numerical advantage: Everardo López scored the second goal in the 45th minute, and Jorge Díaz Price completed the hat‑trick in the 56th. Necaxa tried to respond, but the lack of an extra player hampered their attacks.

What does this result mean for Club Necaxa?

With the loss, Club Necaxa remains in eighth place, 1 point behind the leader and with a neutral goal difference (5‑5). The team still holds its points from the first two wins, but Carranza's dismissal and the lack of goals in the second half highlight areas for improvement. The coach will need to tweak the defensive setup and find offensive alternatives for upcoming games.

What lies ahead for Necaxa in Liga MX?

Club Necaxa's next challenge will be facing a direct rival in the table, where every point is crucial to close the gap with the top teams. Using the same lineup that gave them the first two victories, the club will aim to tighten discipline and maximize scoring chances. The upcoming match will be decisive to keep pressure on the league's upper‑handed clubs.