Necaxa Stuns Santos 3-1 Despite Red Card and Possession Deficit

TORREÓN, MEXICO — Julián Carranza stepped up to the penalty spot in the dying moments, his right-footed strike finding the bottom right corner to seal a stunning 3-1 victory for Necaxa over Santos at Estadio Corona. The result defied all logic, as the visitors claimed all three points despite Santos enjoying 54.6% of possession and creating more chances throughout the encounter.

The match exploded into life from the opening whistle, with Necaxa drawing first blood after just four minutes. Agustín Oliveros positioned himself perfectly in the six-yard box following a corner kick, rifling his right-footed effort into the center of the goal to give the visitors an early advantage. The goal set the tone for what would become a masterclass in clinical finishing from Eduardo Fentanes' side.

Santos' response came swiftly, with Lucas Di Yorio showcasing his predatory instincts in the 28th minute. The striker found himself in a difficult angle on the right side of the penalty area but managed to guide his right-footed shot into the bottom left corner, assisted by Fran Villalba's perfectly weighted through ball. The equalizer seemed to shift momentum toward the home side, who began to assert their dominance in possession and territory.

However, Necaxa's ruthless efficiency in front of goal continued to frustrate Santos. Tomás Badaloni restored the visitors' lead in the 14th minute, converting a left-footed effort from the center of the box after Kevin Rosero's incisive through ball carved open the Santos defense. The goal highlighted Necaxa's ability to capitalize on their limited opportunities, a trait that would prove decisive throughout the contest.

The tactical battle intensified as Santos pushed forward in search of an equalizer, but their task became significantly more challenging when Javier Abella received his marching orders in the 52nd minute. The red card, upgraded after a VAR review, left Santos with ten men and forced them to reorganize their approach. The numerical disadvantage became even more pronounced as the match wore on, with Santos struggling to maintain their attacking intensity while protecting their defensive shape.

Despite being a man down, Santos continued to create chances, with Lucas Di Yorio proving particularly troublesome for the Necaxa defense. The striker forced Ezequiel Unsain into a spectacular save in the 72nd minute, his right-footed effort from the right side of the box requiring the goalkeeper's full stretch to tip over the crossbar. Moments later, Di Yorio tested Unsain again from the center of the box, but the Necaxa shot-stopper stood firm to preserve his side's advantage.

The statistics painted a fascinating picture of the encounter, with Santos registering 15 shots compared to Necaxa's 14, yet the visitors proved far more clinical with six efforts on target to Santos' four. The home side's dominance in possession at 54.6% and their seven corners to Necaxa's three told the story of territorial control, but football's beautiful unpredictability shone through as the more efficient side claimed victory.

Necaxa's defensive resilience became increasingly important as the match entered its final stages. With Santos throwing everything forward in desperate search of an equalizer, the visitors absorbed pressure expertly while looking to exploit spaces on the counter-attack. Their patience was rewarded in dramatic fashion when Franco Rossano was fouled in the penalty area by Cristian Dájome, earning a spot-kick after VAR intervention.

Carranza made no mistake from twelve yards, sending Carlos Acevedo the wrong way to complete a memorable victory for Necaxa. The goal capped off a performance that showcased the visitors' tactical discipline and clinical finishing, proving that possession statistics don't always determine match outcomes.

The result continues Necaxa's impressive recent form, building on their previous victories and establishing them as a force to be reckoned with in Liga BBVA MX. For Santos, the defeat represents another frustrating afternoon where statistical dominance failed to translate into points, leaving them to reflect on missed opportunities and defensive lapses that proved costly against such clinical opposition.