Leon survive red card drama to edge Notecuxa in Apertura opener
Leon secured a 2:1 victory over Notecuxa at Estadio Victoria on Monday night, extending their unbeaten run to four matches in the process. The result lifted them to seventh in the table with ten points from six games, while the hosts remained stuck on seven after three defeats. By then, the visitors had already weathered a storm that could have derailed everything.
D. Arcila opened the scoring in the twenty-seventh minute, a well-taken effort that gave Leon an early advantage. The home side responded with sustained pressure, dominating possession at 61 per cent and launching 119 attacks. But it was the away end that never stopped creating danger, and Arcila's goal proved the difference in the first half.
The match turned in the sixtieth minute when R. Echeverria was sent off for Leon, followed by a second red card incident a minute later. Notecuxa, sensing an opportunity, threw bodies forward. M. Espindola dragged them back into contention, striking twice in consecutive minutes at sixty-fifth and sixty-sixth. The home side had found a way through when it mattered most. And here's the thing — they had created just one big chance all evening, yet two goals came from that single opportunity.
Leon held firm despite having ten men for the final twenty-five minutes. J. P. Dominguez Chonteco restored their lead in the seventy-second minute, and the visitors managed to see out the game. The statistics tell a story of contrast: Notecuxa registered eight shots on target and 1.22 expected goals, but only converted two of them. Leon were sharper, hitting four of seven attempts on target with 0.97 xG.
The result means Leon extend their recent momentum, having won three of their last four fixtures. Notecuxa's struggles continue at home, where they have now lost twice in three matches. The gap between them in the table remains three points, but the quality of performance suggests the visitors are the side building something. Things came to a head in those final twenty minutes, and Leon got over the line.