PACHUCA, Mexico (Interstat) — Nicolás Ibáñez scored twice to lead Pachuca to a 2-1 victory over Tigres UANL on Sunday in a Liga MX match dramatically altered by an early red card.

The Week 7 contest at Estadio Hidalgo was decided in a chaotic first half that saw Tigres reduced to 10 men, followed by a breakthrough goal from the opportunistic Ibáñez.

The match’s complexion changed irrevocably in the 14th minute when Tigres defender Jesús Angulo was shown a straight red card, forcing the visitors to play the remaining 76 minutes a man down. Pachuca capitalized on the advantage just two minutes later. The Argentine forward Ibáñez found space in the area and slotted home his first goal of the afternoon in the 16th minute, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

The first half grew increasingly fractious as Pachuca, perhaps unsettled by their numerical superiority, collected three yellow cards in a 15-minute span. Ibáñez himself was cautioned in the 33rd minute, followed by teammate Avilés Hurtado in the 36th. Tigres’ Igor Lichnovsky also received a yellow card in the second half.

Despite being a player down, Tigres organized defensively and managed to keep the deficit at one goal until the hour mark. Ibáñez, however, sealed the result for the hosts with his second strike in the 60th minute, demonstrating a clinical finish to double Pachuca’s lead.

Tigres, showing resilience, managed to pull a goal back later in the half to avoid a shutout, but the two-goal hole proved too deep to escape. The final whistle confirmed a vital three points for Pachuca in the Liga MX standings.

The result continued a recent trend in the fixture. Pachuca has now won both meetings between the clubs this season, having also defeated Tigres 2-1 on Feb. 20. The victory improves Pachuca’s season record in Liga MX to 15 wins, nine losses and five draws, pulling them even with Tigres in total wins, as Tigres’ record fell to 15 wins, 10 losses and seven draws.

The match defied pregame projections. Statistical models had given Tigres a 55.9 percent probability to win, with a common simulator predicting a 1-1 draw. Instead, the early dismissal and Ibáñez’s brace dictated the outcome.

Pachuca will look to build on the momentum with a quick turnaround, traveling to face Tijuana on Wednesday. Tigres, seeking to halt a skid that has seen them lose four of their last five matches across all competitions, will host Atlas on the same night.