Keylor Navas experienced his first defeat with Pumas in Liga MX after the team lost 3-1 to Juárez. The result puts Pumas at risk of falling out of the playoff qualification zone. The team now faces pressure to secure a positive outcome in their upcoming match against América on Saturday at 9 p.m.
During the match, Pumas maintained possession but struggled to counter Juárez’s set-piece tactics. The first goal came from a corner kick finished by Colombian forward Óscar Estupiñán. The second goal resulted from a free kick, with Rodolfo Pizarro scoring at the far post and leaving Navas unable to react. Guilherme Castilho added a third goal for Juárez in stoppage time.
Navas had a quiet game without opportunities for significant saves. Pumas tried to respond, using Adalberto Carrasquilla as a key player in midfield and maintaining more possession than Juárez, but were less effective offensively. Guillermo Martínez scored the only goal for Pumas.
Efraín Juárez, coach of Pumas, made tactical changes late in the game, including bringing Welsh player Aaron Ramsey off the bench, but these efforts did not change the outcome.
This loss ends a seven-match unbeaten run for Pumas with Navas on the field and raises concerns ahead of their important fixture against América. The team is now ninth in the standings with 13 points, while Cruz Azul leads with 23 points. Chivas, currently outside playoff positions with 11 points, could overtake Pumas if results do not improve.
The match saw an early lead by Juárez through Estupiñán’s set-piece goal. Later, Rodolfo Pizarro extended Juárez’s advantage after capitalizing on a free kick in the 70th minute. Guillermo Martínez equalized briefly for Pumas with a header following a cross from the right side, but an earlier goal by Carrasquilla was disallowed after VAR review due to a foul.
Pumas started defensively organized but conceded early chances to Juárez’s José Luis Rodríguez and then allowed Estupiñán’s opening goal in the 14th minute.
Before this fixture, Keylor Navas had been notable for saving penalties in recent matches against Mazatlán and Tigres, although he conceded on a rebound in his last outing.
The match was broadcast via Tubi, which operates as an ad-supported streaming platform offering free content rather than charging subscriptions.
