- Pachuca are unbeaten in their last five (W3, D2) and won 2-1 away at Cruz Azul with a Kenedy brace last weekend.
- The home side are unbeaten in Clausura 2026 at Estadio Hidalgo.
Solari suspension not expected to sway Pachuca
Pachuca should justify their short odds to beat Santos Laguna this Sunday and perhaps record an easy win in the process if their recent form holds up against a struggling visitor.
Esteban Solari is suspended for this game after being sent off in the 2-1 victory away to Cruz Azul, but his assistant will be able to carry his blueprint for success to the touchline. The Argentine has had a massive impact on the club since taking charge, engineering a surge into the top four and making the club a genuine force once again.
Solari’s 4-2-3-1 system is simple enough to play, but it requires all the elements to work in sync for it to be successful. The hosts press well as a unit, transition quickly in both directions and have a direct, high-tempo style that has made them difficult to defend against this season. The wingers and number ten have to play at pace, while the forward line, led by powerful striker Salomón Rondón, must hold up play and finish clinically.
Santos struggling to make an impact in Clausura
Pachuca have two of the best at these positions in the Clausura 2026 - Oussama Idrissi and Víctor Guzmán. The pair are the creative engine that keeps the team moving, while they also have the ability to create enough space for themselves to get into the penalty area and get on the scoreboard. That’s what Kenedy did in Pachuca’s recent 2 - 1 win at Cruz Azul and the Brazilian can be the game-breaker for Pachuca when they hit their stride.
This is a must-win matchup for Santos Laguna to keep their faint play-off aspirations alive and not sink any deeper at the bottom of the table. Omar Tapia, who took over as interim boss after the sacking of Francisco Rodríguez mid-season, has steadied the ship somewhat and results have been mixed (W2, D1, L2) in their last five.
But Santos have been poor at the back throughout the campaign, conceding 31 goals in 13 matches, with Eduardo Aguirre still providing the odd spark of brilliance. The visitors will press, stretch the pitch with their full backs and wingers and play at a high intensity, but a cool and possibly damp night at Estadio Hidalgo could make things heavy and suit Pachuca’s more direct and physical style.
Huge odds for Pachuca to win
With Santos Laguna so poor at the back, Pachuca’s attacking potency should be on show and the Over 2.5 goals line at 1.44 looks a very solid bet. However, we are taking the hosts to win at 1.4 as our main selection as, even though they are short, they have the home advantage, form and superior attacking depth to see off the visitors.
Pachuca have been so dominant in this fixture that we are surprised to see Santos Laguna at a massive 6.75 to beat them, so the smart money will be on the favourites to do so in some style. Pachuca midfielder Christian Rivera will miss the game through suspension, while Pachuca's assistant will take charge of Solari’s team from the touchline.
