Necaxa gets first win at home after defeating Queretaro

Necaxa return to their winning ways at home after getting their first win in Aguascalientes since October 2021 with a 1-0 win over Queretaro. In their first match after the terrible tragedy in their stadium, Queretaro rose to their occasion but failed to stop Necaxa from getting a win at home for the first time in 2022. Necaxa continues to improve, although they will have a tough visit next week against Pumas while Queretaro will have to look for a stadium to play their next match, a home game against Atletico San Luis, after their Estadio Corregidora Stadium starts their one year ban.

The match started without a crowd as Necaxa decided to play the game without fans, probably to avoid any trouble with Queretaro being the visiting team. A minute of silence to honor the victims of violence as well as the death of Tomas Boy happened before the opening whistle. Necaxa had a great chance when Rodrigo Aguirre got off a great left footed shot that hit the post about five minutes into the game. Off of a cross, Angel Sepulveda rose to get a header that forced Necaxa’s goalkeeper Luis Malagon to make a great save. Necaxa answered when after a pass in the area, Heriberto Jurado got a great left footed shot past Queretaro’s goalkeeper Washington Aguerre, for the 1-0 lead. It was the first goal ever for 17 year old phenom Jurado, who has been one of the best sensations in Mexican football. Necaxa came close again when after a cross of a free kick, the ball fell right to the path of Fabricio Formiliano, who got a left footed shot from close range that Aguerre saved. It was a good play from Queretaro’s keeper, but a terrible miss for Formiliano. Queretaro got a great opportunity when a longball into the area found Sepulveda, who headed it over the head of Malagon and into the post after a bad job defending by Formiliano. Queretaro then wasted a great chance after Sepulveda got past a defender, but his pass to Jesus Angulo was wasted when he couldn’t handle the ball and instead lost it when he should have gotten off a close range shot past Malagon. Necaxa answered with a shot from Aguirre that went just wide.

The second half started with both team coming out with the same eleven they started with. A shot by Jurado was easily saved by Aguerre. Necaxa subbed out Luis Garcia and Angelo Araos for Jesus Escoboza and Fernando Madrigal. A cross by Angulo would have made for a great chance, but Alexis Peña made a great diving header to clear the ball before Leonardo Sequeira was able to get a tap in shot. Queretaro subbed out Kevin Escamilla for Juan Romagnoli. Later Necaxa subbed out Rodrigo Aguirre for Facundo Batista. In the 62nd minute, both teams went into the middle of the field and held hands while the bench players hugged. This was because it was during the 62nd minute of the Queretaro vs Atlas match was when the match stopped because of the fighting in the crowd.

Play resumed, and a cross into the area from Brian Garcia turned into a shot after Escoboza failed to connect with it but Aguerre made a great save to stop the goal. Queretaro subbed out Leonardo Sequeira and Angel Sepulveda for Jefferson Montero and Jesus Godinez. Dieter Villalpando got off a right footed shot that was saved by Aguerre. Queretaro then made their final subs by subbing out Omar Mendoza and Jose Angulo for David Cabrera and Ariel Nahuelpan. After a longball into the area, Escoboza got a great left footed shot that forced Aguerre to make another great save. Necaxa then subbed out Heriberto Jurado and Dieter Villalpando for Milton Gimenez and Luis Quintana. Necaxa came within inches of getting a great opportunity, but Gimenez couldn’t get to the ball before Aguerre did, otherwise he would have a had an open net chance. A shot from Pablo Barrera forced Malagon to make save. Queretaro kept trying, but never came close after that last opportunity and Necaxa got the deserved win.

Necaxa got their first victory at home of the season and deservedly so. Yet while many people expected Queretaro to be rattled after the terrible incident from last Saturday, they played better than expected. They kept things close, although mostly because of the actions from their goalkeeper Aguerre. Necaxa was the better team throughout, and Queretaro kept it close but never really threatened in getting the tie. Necaxa will now have to travel to face a tough away match against Pumas while Queretaro will start their home suspension against Atletico San Luis as they look for a place to hold the match.