In a night full of excitement and a high level of soccer, Cruz Azul ratified its great momentum in the Clausura 2026 by defeating Tigres de la UANL 2-1.
The match, corresponding to the sixth matchday, had as its main protagonist the Argentine Nicolás Ibáñez, who applied the “law of the ex” just a few days after leaving the feline dressing room to wear the blue and white jersey.
Cruz Azul beats Tigres 2-1
Great win, Blues. 💙💙 pic.twitter.com/lPIkUrQT3N
– CRUZ AZUL (@CruzAzul) February 16, 2026
The match at the Cuauhtémoc Stadium (temporary home of“La Máquina”) was a chessboard during the first half.
Veljko Paunović’s Tigres opted for the possession characteristic of the Monterrey side, but came up against a dynamic Cruz Azul under Nicolás Larcamón.
The Argentine tactician has managed to inject a vertical aggressiveness that the team lacked, and as early as the 7th minute, Ibañez had already made a warning with a shot that grazed Nahuel Guzman’s post.
Tigres responded at 16′ with a header by Brazilian center back Joaquim Pereira, which was spectacularly contained by Andrés Gudiño, who has been firmly established in the Celestes’ goal following the departure of Kevin Mier.
Nico Ibáñez’s show and Joaquim’s tragedy
SHOUT IT OUT NICOOOOOOOOOOOO 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/0iunzWWJtH
– CRUZ AZUL (@CruzAzul) February 16, 2026
The second half was a Celestial gale.
In the 51st minute, Ibañez made a mistake with a left-footed shot, but Cruz Azul’s pressure forced the rival to make a mistake just five minutes later.
At 56′, in an attempted clearance, the Brazilian Joaquim ended up sending the ball into his own goal, scoring an own goal that destroyed the universitarios’ tactical scheme.
The climax came in the 60th minute.
After a long rebound given by “El Patón” Guzmán, Nicolás Ibáñez showed why he is the star reinforcement of this semester; with a lethal right-footed shot, he made it 2-0 and celebrated against his former team, consolidating himself as the area referent that the Cementera fans demanded.
Tigres tried to get back into the match and partially succeeded in doing so at 71′, when world champion Ángel Correa scored with his left foot after a great assist from Vladimir Loroña, cutting the deficit (2-1).
The outlook for the hobbyist in the USA
For the U.S. Hispanic community that follows the tournament closely through streaming platforms and sports networks, this result is vital.
Cruz Azul not only earned three points, but also moved up to second place in the standings with 13 points (4 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss).
The fight for the lead remains intense, as Chivas Guadalajara lead the tournament with 18 points after beating América in last Saturday’s Clásico Nacional.
With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner (to be held in the U.S., Mexico and Canada), the level of competition in Liga MX is at an all-time high, and Larcamón’s Cruz Azul is emerging as the most solid candidate to fight for the title against the Rebaño Sagrado.
Tigres, for their part, will have to lick their wounds and rethink their defensive solidity if they want to remain in direct qualification positions for the Liguilla, after being overtaken by the speed and hunger of their former star striker.
Filed under: Cruz Azul beats Tigres 2-1
