Santos Laguna vs Chivas De Guadalajara: The Late Penalty Seals the Deal
Chivas de Guadalajara secured a 1-0 victory over Santos Laguna at Estadio TSM Corona in Torreón, in Matchday 4 of the 2026 Apertura tournament of Liga MX. The decisive goal came in the closing stages of the match through a penalty converted by Marín, interrupting Santos' promising start at home and giving Chivas a much-needed win to climb the standings.
The Match Was Full of Opportunities, but the Late Penalty Was the Decisive Moment
The match was evenly contested with several scoring chances for both teams. Santos created several dangerous moments, including a shot from Emmanuel Echeverría that hit the crossbar and another that struck the post, while Chivas had a Santiago Sandoval shot saved by goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo. Both managers made tactical substitutions, with Santos bringing on Kevin Palacios and Ramiro Sordo, and Chivas introducing Richard Ledezma to add fresh legs going forward during the closing stages.
The decisive penalty was awarded after a VAR review in the closing stages of the match. Marín stepped up to convert the penalty, giving Chivas the lead that they maintained until the final whistle, with additional substitutions from both sides, including Fran Villalba and Rubén González for Chivas.
Implications for the Standings
The result keeps Chivas in the win column after a stretch where they were searching for consistency, while Santos will look to regroup after a strong start at home was interrupted by the narrow defeat. Both clubs remain in the competitive middle tier of the Apertura 2026 standings following the result.
The match was broadcast across TUDN, Canal 5, ViX Premium, ESPN, and Disney+ Premium, reflecting the significant broadcast footprint typically afforded to a fixture between two of Liga MX's most historically significant clubs.
