APODACA (Interstat) — Apodaca built an early lead and held off Guerreros del Pacifico 4-3 on Sunday at Unidad Deportiva Centenario del Ejercito Mexicano in Apodaca Centro. The home side scored twice in quick succession early in the first half, then answered Guerreros del Pacifico’s pushes with enough control to secure its first victory of the competition. Guerreros del Pacifico finished with three goals but could not complete the comeback after falling behind by multiple goals. The match produced seven goals and a tense closing stretch, with Apodaca protecting a one-goal margin after Guerreros cut into the deficit.

Jesus Quiroz put Apodaca ahead in the 22nd minute, and Apodaca doubled the advantage in the 23rd. Guerreros del Pacifico got one back in the 27th, but Axel Garcia restored a two-goal cushion for Apodaca in the 33rd. The first half featured a frantic pace and several momentum shifts, with Apodaca doing the better work in the attacking third and Guerreros relying on quick responses. Apodaca’s pressure in the opening half forced Guerreros del Pacifico to chase the game, and the visitors’ attempts to settle possession were repeatedly interrupted by Apodaca’s quick breaks.

Solis Sergio Enrique Trevino scored in the 51st minute to make it 4-1, and that goal ultimately stood as the winner. Guerreros del Pacifico refused to fade, pulling one back in the 55th and adding another in the 66th to create a tense finish. Apodaca’s defense then held through the closing stages, preserving the one-goal margin despite Guerreros pressing for an equalizer. Guerreros del Pacifico pushed numbers forward in the final minutes, but Apodaca kept its shape and cleared the danger when the visitors looked to create one last chance.

Quiroz, Garcia and Trevino were the key attacking figures for Apodaca, each finding the net in a match that demanded production from the home side’s front line. Apodaca’s four-goal output was its strongest of the competition and ended a run of four losses to open the season. Before Sunday, Apodaca had lost to Santiago, Correcaminos II, Vaqueros Reynosa and La Tribu de Cd. Juarez. The victory moved Apodaca to 1-4 in the competition and across all competitions. Apodaca’s victory came after four consecutive defeats and provided a needed lift.

Guerreros del Pacifico dropped to 1-3-1 in the competition and across all competitions. The visitors had entered with a chance to build on their previous result but instead absorbed a third loss of the competition. Their three-goal second-half push made the final minutes uncomfortable for Apodaca, though the equalizer never arrived. Guerreros had previously beaten Club Calor, lost to Real Refineros and Dragones de Oaxaca, and drawn with Delfines Coatzacoalcos. The visitors’ record in the competition and across all competitions remains identical after Sunday. Guerreros del Pacifico remain in search of a second competition win.

Apodaca’s ability to score in bursts proved decisive. The home side struck early, absorbed Guerreros del Pacifico’s response and then created separation again before halftime. Trevino’s second-half goal gave Apodaca enough room to withstand the late pressure. Guerreros del Pacifico kept pushing and trimmed the deficit, but Apodaca managed the final stretch without conceding again. The win gave Apodaca its first points of the competition and left Guerreros del Pacifico still searching for consistency after an uneven start. The result gave Apodaca momentum after a difficult opening stretch and handed Guerreros del Pacifico another narrow setback. Apodaca’s control in the final third made the difference in a game that remained competitive until the final whistle. The final whistle confirmed Apodaca’s first win of the competition.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Apodaca 2, Guerreros del Pacifico 1. Its ELO system had projected Apodaca with a 90.4 percent probability to win. Guerreros del Pacifico had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 7 went under the over/under line of 2.5.