Pachuca to the Quarterfinals!: Rayados lets victory slip away and will play for their lives against Pumas

A late error by Esteban Andrada ultimately condemned Rayados de Monterrey to a surprising 2-1 defeat to Pachuca in the Liga MX Play-In . Now, Martín Demichelis ' team will face Pumas in Play-In C at the BBVA Stadium next week.

Monterrey was on track to advance to the quarterfinals after taking the lead in the 50th minute. Germán Berterame scored the goal after a first-time finish from a cross from Jesús Corona , who added his eighth assist of the tournament. From then on, Rayados focused on defending their lead and looking to finish off the counterattack.

The strategy seemed to be paying off until the 82nd minute, when Eduardo Bauermann took advantage of a rebound in the box to equalize and spark uncertainty at the "Steel Giant." The morale boost was evident, and Pachuca was quick to capitalize.

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In the 87th minute, Ousama Idrissi , who had played little in the match, unleashed a shot from outside the box that seemed easy for Andrada . However, the Argentine goalkeeper released the ball and Salomón Rondón , alert to the rebound, made no mistake and scored the goal that sealed the comeback for the Tuzos .

Monterrey faced the match with three significant absences. Spaniards Sergio Ramos, Sergio Canales, and Oliver Torres were unavailable due to injury, a situation that ultimately impacted the game.

In the final minutes, Demichelis ordered the team to push forward in search of an equalizer, but the pressure wasn't enough to prevent the defeat. The final whistle left the stadium silent, and Rayados must win their next match if they want to stay in contention for the title.

The next opponent will be Pumas , in a knockout match that will determine the last team to qualify for the Quarterfinals. The match will once again be played at BBVA Stadium , where fans are hoping for an immediate response from the team after the unexpected defeat to Pachuca .

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