Tijuana secures seventh place and will face Tigres in the quarterfinals

Gilberto Mora showcased remarkable composure well beyond his years, calmly converting a penalty “Panenka-style” to complete Tijuana’s 3-1 comeback win over FC Juárez in the Apertura 2025 Play-In.

Juárez strikes first

The visitors stunned the home crowd early. In the 12th minute, Alejandro Mayorga broke down the left flank and whipped in a pinpoint cross to the near post. Óscar Estupiñán beat his marker and buried a header across goal to make it 1-0, silencing the border-city fans.

Xolos answered in the 31st minute. Jesús Vega delivered a curling ball from the left, and Moroccan forward Mourad Daoudi soared to meet it with a flawless header that left the keeper helpless, leveling the score at 1-1 and reigniting the stadium.

Red card turns the game

The turning point came in the 54th minute. Mayorga was shown a straight red for hauling down Ramiro Árciga as the last defender. On the ensuing free kick, Mora’s shot was blocked by a Juárez defender’s hand, leading to a pivotal penalty.

Mora’s historic Panenka

Though veteran Kevin Castañeda was set to take the kick, Mora — just 17 years old — stepped up with confidence. He chipped in a cheeky Panenka to give Tijuana a 2-1 lead in the 59th minute, becoming the youngest player ever to score in Liga MX postseason play. His bold finish instantly made national headlines.

Deep into stoppage time (90+2’ EST), Vega struck again — this time with a low cross from the left. Ezequiel Bullaude timed his run perfectly, slotting home the 3-1 dagger that secured Tijuana’s place in the Liguilla.

With the victory, Xolos clinched the No. 7 seed and will face Tigres in the quarterfinals. Juárez still has life: they’ll host Pachuca this Sunday, with the winner advancing to meet Toluca in the Liguilla.

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