Gilberto Mora proved once again that he can handle the big moments. The young Mexican player converted two penalty kicks and was the star of Tijuana’s 2-0 victory over Pumas in Matchday 6 of the 2026 Liga MX Apertura, played at Estadio Caliente.
The Xolos were the better team for much of the match, and although they struggled to find the back of the net in the first half, they ultimately dictated the pace against a Pumas side that could do little to turn the tide of the match.
Xolos dominates, but Pumas held their ground
The match started fairly even, but as the minutes ticked by, Tijuana began to take control of the action.
The team coached by Sebastián Abreu began creating scoring chances more frequently and forced Pumas to retreat near their own box. Pumas struggled to build plays from the back and spent more and more time defending. Despite Tijuana’s dominance, the score remained unchanged.
The Pumas defense held firm, and when necessary, Keylor Navas stepped up to prevent Tijuana from taking the lead. The scoreless tie held until halftime.
Gilberto Mora stepped up from the penalty spot
The story changed in the second half. In the 53rd minute, a foul on Mourad Daoudi inside the box led the referee to call a penalty in favor of Tijuana. Rubén Duarte brought down the forward, giving the Xolos the chance to break the deadlock. Gilberto Mora stepped up to take the kick.
The Mexican took the ball, lined up in front of Keylor Navas, and didn’t hesitate. Mora shot to the left of the Costa Rican goalkeeper, who was unable to reach the shot. 1-0 for Tijuana.
The young star once again demonstrated his composure in one of the most high-pressure moments of a game.
Pumas went down to 10 men
Things got even more complicated for Pumas just a few minutes later.
In the 59th minute, Pablo Bennevendo made a hard tackle on Mourad Daoudi’s calf, and the referee didn’t hesitate to show him a red card. Pumas were now down a man and still had to come back from behind.
With a numerical advantage, Tijuana found even more open spaces and began to control the game with greater ease.
Morita struck again and sealed the victory
The decisive moment came in the 81st minute. Another play inside the box resulted in yet another penalty for the Xolos, in a play involving Keylor Navas and Rubén Duarte. Once again, Gilberto Mora stepped up.
The young Mexican once again stepped up to take the penalty and followed virtually the same playbook. Mora shot to the left, fooled the Costa Rican goalkeeper, and sent the ball into the back of the net. Two penalties in a row and a 2-0 lead for Tijuana. With the second goal, the match was practically decided.
Tijuana moves up the standings
The victory brought the Xolos’ total to 13 points and places them, for now, in second place in the overall standings of the 2026 Apertura. Beyond the result, Tijuana once again showed that it can compete at the top of the league and that Gilberto Mora continues to take on a more prominent role within the team. Pumas, for their part, dropped to ninth place in the standings and will need to bounce back in the next matchday.
In Matchday 7, the Xolos will face a major test when they visit league-leading América at Estadio Banorte, while Pumas will host León at Ciudad Universitaria. Tijuana is smiling thanks to Gilberto Mora, and if the Mexican continues to deliver in clutch moments, the Xolos can start dreaming big.
