Monterrey Defeats Puebla 4-1 Ahead of Clash with Chivas

Monterrey secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Puebla at Estadio Cuauhtémoc during the thirteenth round of the Apertura 2026 tournament. With goals from Diego Rossi, Hugo Cuypers, Lucas Ocampos, and Roberto de la Rosa, the visiting side established control early in the match and delivered one of their most formidable offensive performances of the season.

Entering the fixture, both teams sat closely in the standings, separated by a single point. Puebla, managed by their need to break a five-game winless streak, attempted to contain the visitors using a disciplined mid-block. However, Monterrey capitalized on defensive vulnerabilities and quickly took command of the pitch under the direction of manager Matías Almeyda.

The visiting team broke the deadlock in the seventeenth minute when Lucas Ocampos delivered a pass to Diego Rossi, who headed the ball past goalkeeper Ricardo Gutiérrez. Monterrey doubled their lead in the thirty-first minute after a set-piece sequence: Óliver Torres swung in a corner kick, Víctor Guzmán headed it toward goal, and Hugo Cuypers finished the rebound into the left corner.

Just three minutes later, Ocampos received a pass from Torres and struck a right-footed shot into the top corner to make it 3-0. Scoring three goals in a span of all-out offensive pressure, Monterrey effectively put the game out of reach before halftime.

In the second half, Almeyda made tactical adjustments and substitutions, resting players such as Rossi and Cuypers ahead of their upcoming match against Chivas. Despite the changes, the visitors maintained their attacking momentum. Roberto de la Rosa needed only four minutes on the field after coming off the bench before scoring Monterrey's fourth goal in the sixty-first minute, finishing cleanly inside the area following another assist from Torres.

Puebla managed to pull a goal back in the sixty-sixth minute when Facundo Almada scored with a left-footed shot from the center of the box following a set-piece play and a pass from Juan Vargas. Despite late efforts from the home side to narrow the gap further, the score remained 4-1 until the final whistle.

The outcome lifts Monterrey to 20 points in the league table, providing strong momentum as they prepare to host Chivas at their home stadium. Meanwhile, Puebla remains at 16 points, facing increasing pressure as they look to recover in their upcoming fixture against Atlas.