Santos Laguna face FC Juárez on Monday at Estadio Corona with an urgent need for their first win of the Apertura 2026 season. The Torreón-based side sits 17th in the Liga MX standings with just one point from seven games, having lost six and drawn one.
Their last outing, a 1-0 defeat to Cruz Azul on September 6, deepened the crisis. José Paradela's 89th-minute goal condemned Los Guerreros to their sixth loss in seven matches. Their only point came in a 0-0 draw with Tigres UANL on August 30, and their last victory was in mid-August against Philadelphia Union in the Leagues Cup.
A basement battle
The opponent, FC Juárez, arrives in no better shape. Los Bravos are the only team below Santos in the table, sitting in last place with zero points. Both sides are desperate to turn their fortunes around, promising an intense match from the first whistle. Recent history slightly favors the hosts, who didn't lose the last meeting in January, a 2-2 draw.
Santos Laguna's coaching staff must decide whether to stick with the three-defender system used against Cruz Azul, with Carlos Acevedo in goal and a line of Jonathan Pérez, Felipe Sánchez, and Eduardo Orona. In midfield, Salvador Mariscal and Alan López will be tasked with creating play, while the attack will rely on the speed of Kevin Palacios and the creativity of Ezequiel Bullaude.
The squad aims to regain confidence on home turf. A win would not only lift the team off the bottom but provide vital breathing room ahead of another tough fixture. The match is scheduled for Monday, September 14 at 8:00 PM local time.
