To the Grand Final! The spectacular deflection of Palavecino's shot propels Cruz Azul to victory over Chivas.

With goals from Jeremy Márquez and Agustín Palavecino, La Máquina secured a 2-1 victory (4-3 aggregate score) over Chivas in an action-packed, controversial second leg at Estadio Jalisco.

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@CruzAzul

Cruz Azul is returning to the Liga MX Grand Final after a two-year absence. Displaying incredible resilience on the road at Estadio Jalisco, La Máquina secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Chivas Guadalajara in the second leg of the Clausura 2026 semifinals, booking their ticket to the championship round with a tight 4-3 aggregate score under interim manager Joel Huiqui.

The match exploded into action within the first five minutes. At the 4-minute mark, Jeremy Márquez capitalized on a defensive blunder from Chivas' "Cotorro" González, who failed to clear a dangerous cross from Omar Campos. Márquez collected the rebound and blasted the ball past goalkeeper Óscar Whalley to make it 1-0 for the visitors. Chivas responded instantly; at the 6-minute mark, Omar Govea leveled the score with a stunning long-range strike following a short setup from Oso González. Govea's shot went through Willer Ditta's legs and took a wicked bounce over Kevin Mier, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

The rest of the first half featured intense end-to-end action and physical play. Rodolfo Rotondi and Alejandro Paradela forced fine saves from Whalley, while Christian Ebere narrowly missed a dangerous shot inside the box. Controversy arose when Cruz Azul’s Gonzalo Piovi received only a yellow card for a tough studs-up challenge on Ángel Sepúlveda. Chivas threatened on set pieces through Efraín Álvarez and headers from González, but Kevin Mier kept them at bay. Just before halftime, Sepúlveda missed a clear chance for Chivas due to a delayed finish, while Rotondi failed to hit the target on a wide-open opportunity for the Celestes.

The high intensity carried into the second half. Whalley became Chivas' hero by making clinical saves against Palavecino in the 51st minute and Paradela in the 54th. Chivas adjusted their lineup by sending in Yael Padilla and Daniel Aguirre for Ledezma and Santiago Sandoval. However, Cruz Azul struck the decisive blow in the 66th minute when Agustín Palavecino unleashed a strike that deflected off defender Diego Campillo, looping over Whalley to make it 2-1 (4-3 aggregate).

The closing minutes were filled with maximum drama. Chivas pushed forward aggressively, but Sergio Aguayo missed a golden opportunity by failing to connect with the ball right in front of the goal line in the 84th minute. The VAR silently checked a potential handball by Toro Fernández in the 80th minute but let play continue. In stoppage time, Mier saved a header from Ricardo Marín, while the referee dismissed two late Chivas penalty claims—one for a handball by Omar Campos and another for a challenge on González—allowing Cruz Azul to hold onto their lead and advance to the final against either Pumas or Pachuca.