The Pachuca Tuzos had a resounding fall in the overall table after the start of the Apertura 2026, heading into the Leagues Cup with more doubts than certainties. The Hidalgo side, which once enjoyed the glory of being the championship’s first leader, now sits in thirteenth place with the same three points it earned on matchday one.
After thrashing Pumas at Ciudad Universitaria, Pachuca has suffered two consecutive defeats that have already set off the first alarms in the Bella Airosa. The loss to Querétaro seemed an “inexplicable” accident, as some players described it. However, what happened this weekend in León made it clear that both stumbles are not just coincidence.
The statistics also expose the moment the team under Benjamín Mora is going through. Against León, Pachuca recorded only one shot on target in ninety minutes and, for the first time this tournament, failed to find the back of the net. In defense, doubts have also been laid bare. Eduardo Bauermann and Sergio Barreto, expected to be the pillars of the backline, were outplayed by a young Colombian forward, who became the Tuzos’ executioner by exploiting the passivity of both center-backs to score the winning goal.
Benjamín Mora’s project now faces its first rocky patch. After a promising beginning, the team’s functioning collapsed in just two matchdays, leaving them with no choice but to react in the Leagues Cup. The coach himself pointed out that the bi-national tournament can serve to regain confidence, correct errors, and recapture the footballing idea his side showed in the championship opener.
Meanwhile, as Pachuca loses ground, América has taken the lead in the Apertura 2026 with seven points. They are also one of two unbeaten teams, sharing that distinction with Tijuana, who has the same points tally but a lower goal difference.