The party has started! Closing 2026 is here
The wait is finally over. The opening whistle of the Clausura 2026 tournament resonated at the El Encanto Stadium, where Mazatlán FC received an FC Juárez team hungry for victory. The atmosphere was electric: the locals sought to excite their fans from the first minute, while those led by Pedro Caixinha arrived with the clear objective of showing solidity and taking the three points.
A first round trip
The game started with the intensity that everyone expected, but without much clarity in front of the goals. The first surprise came in the 22nd minute. It was the work of Francisco Nevárez, who from the right wing launched a crossed left foot shot that slipped into Ricardo Rodríguez’s goal to put the 0-1 score on the scoreboard. The goal momentarily silenced the Mazatlan fans.
But the Gunners were not going to sit idly by. They reacted with character and, in the 35th minute, after a great play on the wing, a precise cross found the powerful head of Facundo Almada. The ball crashed into the net and unleashed euphoria in the stands: 1-1.
However, the local joy was short-lived. In what was the last gasp of the first half, at minute 46, an error in Almada’s own start was capitalized by Juárez. José Luis Rodríguez stole the ball, advanced and crossed so that Denzell García, with absolute coldness from the heart of the area, put his team ahead again: 1-2 at half-time.
A serious error in Facundo Almada’s start allowed José Luis Rodríguez to steal the ball, advance and cross for Denzell García.
Second part of local push and visitor resistance
The second half was an offensive monologue from Mazatlán FC. The locals pushed with all their might in search of a tie. The most incisive figure was Jordan Sierra: at 61′ he missed a shot from outside the area after a corner and, just six minutes later (67′), he took a shot that grazed the post millimetrically, generating angry calls for a penalty from the home team.
The game had its pauses due to injuries, such as the one suffered by Moisés Mosquera, but Juárez knew how to stay organized in defense. The Braves bravely withstood the final attacks of a Mazatlán team desperate to score.
In the end, neither team created really clear dangers in the final minutes. The final whistle confirmed a worked and very valuable victory for FC Juárez in rival territory. The three points travel north, while Mazatlán will have to make self-criticism and adjust defensive details that were very expensive in its debut.
The Braves start on the right foot; The Gunners will have to adjust for the next few dates.
A start to the league that left us goals, emotions and a lot of fabric to cut for what is to come. Let the show go on!
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