PACHUCA, Mexico (Interstat) — Pachuca opened its Liga MX season with a comeback victory, defeating Necaxa 2-1 on Tuesday night at Estadio Hidalgo after a dramatic second-half winner from substitute Javier Ruiz.

The match, which defied a pregame projection of a draw from Interstat’s game simulator, saw the home side overcome an early deficit. Despite Interstat’s ELO system giving Pachuca a 76.40 percent probability to win, it was the visitors who struck first. Necaxa forward Alexei Domínguez silenced the home crowd in the 14th minute, putting his side ahead with a well-taken finish.

Pachuca responded before halftime. In the 33rd minute, forward Oussama Idrissi leveled the score, converting an opportunity to send the teams into the break tied 1-1. The assist was credited to defender Carlos Sánchez.

The decisive moment arrived eight minutes after the restart. Ruiz, who had entered the match as a substitute, found the net in the 53rd minute to complete the turnaround and secure all three points for the hosts. The play was built from the back, with goalkeeper Carlos Moreno initiating the sequence that ended with Ruiz’s finish, assisted by substitute Alexis Peña.

The match grew increasingly fractious as Necaxa pushed for an equalizer. The second half produced five yellow cards, all shown to Necaxa players in a tense finale. Alexis Peña was booked in the 39th minute, followed by Carlos Sánchez in the 68th. Goalkeeper Carlos Moreno received a yellow in the 79th minute. The match concluded with a flurry of cautions in stoppage time, with Necaxa’s Emilio Lara, Lorenzo Faravelli and Cristian Calderón all being booked between the 91st and 96th minutes.

With the result, Pachuca begins its campaign with a victory, improving its record across all competitions to one win and no losses. Necaxa starts the season with a defeat, falling to zero wins and one loss in both Liga MX and overall.

The key performances underscored the impact of substitutions. Beyond Ruiz’s match-winning goal for Pachuca, Necaxa’s substitutes were heavily involved in the late disciplinary actions. Assists in the game were provided by Pachuca’ Carlos Sánchez and Alexis Peña, as well as Necaxa’s Emilio Lara, Lorenzo Faravelli and Cristian Calderón, though their contributions were overshadowed by the final score and the team’s collective indiscipline late in the match.

The victory gives Pachuca early momentum in the Liga MX standings, while Necaxa will look to regroup after a narrow loss that saw them lead early but unable to hold off the home side’s pressure.