World Soccer.—FC Juárez found some breathing room amid a difficult 2026 Apertura season and took advantage of home-field advantage to defeat Querétaro 3-1 on Matchday 15 of Liga MX. The Bravos showcased their dominance at the Benito Juárez Olympic Stadium, while the Gallos Blancos suffered their fourth consecutive loss, further complicating their hopes of making the playoffs.
Although the border-state team no longer had a mathematical chance of advancing to the next phase, it secured a victory that brought joy to its fans and marked only its second win of the season.
Estupiñán and Madson made the difference in the first half
The match began with a controversial play for the visitors. Querétaro had the opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot, but after reviewing the play via VAR, referee Marco Antonio Ortiz decided to reverse his call and did not award the penalty kick.
The decision ultimately favored the Bravos, who found the back of the net shortly afterward. In the 17th minute, Óscar Estupiñán capitalized on a cross into the box and connected with a header to beat goalkeeper Guillermo Allison and make it 1-0.
The Gallos tried to respond and came close to equalizing with a header by Alí Ávila that crashed off the crossbar. However, just as the Querétaro team was looking to regain ground, Madson de Souza stepped up.
In the 39th minute, the Brazilian player took the ball outside the box and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot that found the back of the net. With the score at 2-0, FC Juárez went into halftime with a significant lead and control of the game.
José Luis Rodríguez Sealed the Victory
In the second half, Querétaro pushed forward in an effort to get back into the game. The visitors created a few chances, but were thwarted by Sebastián Jurado’s saves and a Juárez defense that held firm under pressure.
The Bravos also had chances to extend their lead. One of the most notable came from Luca Martínez Dupuy, who tried to catch the defense off guard with a bicycle kick, though Guillermo Allison managed to prevent the goal.
The third goal finally came in the 83rd minute. After a shot hit the crossbar, José Luis Rodríguez was quick to react to the rebound and sent the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-0.
Querétaro managed to pull one back in the 89th minute through Alí Ávila, but the goal came too late to change the outcome of the match. The final score was 3-1 in favor of the home team.
Querétaro has now lost four consecutive games
With this result, FC Juárez secured its second victory of the 2026 Apertura, though it remained in last place in the standings with eight points.
The situation is different, but equally concerning for Querétaro. The Gallos Blancos remain in ninth place with 20 points and have now gone four consecutive games without a win, a streak that pushes them further away from the playoff spots.
In Matchday 16, the Bravos will visit Atlético de San Luis, while Querétaro will host Puebla and must bounce back if it wants to keep its chances of advancing in the tournament alive.
