Leon vs Tapatío

León head coach Javier Gandolfi split the session into two distinct line-ups, giving the entire squad 90 minutes of game time against the Chivas affiliate from Liga de Expansión MX.

First match (1-1): Tapatío struck first to open the scoring. León equalised through centre-back Daniel Arcila, who converted from the penalty spot. The 1-1 draw was a fair reflection of a contest in which both sides had spells of control. León's first XI featured Jordan García in goal, a back four of Bryan Colula, Daniel Arcila, Sebastián Vegas and Abraham "Chino" Villegas, with Fernando Beltrán and Juan Pablo Domínguez in midfield, Edgar Guerra and Iván Moreno on the flanks, and youth product Alexis Valadez alongside Diber Cambindo up front.

Second match (3-1): Gandolfi rotated heavily for the second block and the changes paid off. Midfielder Rodrigo Echeverría scored twice, demonstrating his timing in the box, while returning winger Sebastián Santos — back at León after a spell with Mazatlán — added a third. Tapatío pulled one goal back but never threatened a comeback. The 3-1 win gave León a combined 4-2 victory across the afternoon.

Gandolfi's squad rotation between the two matches proved decisive. The second XI — headlined by Echeverría's energy and Santos's direct running — created a higher volume of chances and punished a tiring Tapatío side that had matched León in the first 90 minutes.

• Rodrigo Echeverría: Two goals in the second match, each a well-timed finish from inside the area. The Chilean midfielder's movement was a constant problem for the Tapatío back line.
• Daniel Arcila: Scored the equaliser from the penalty spot in the first match and looked assured in central defence alongside Sebastián Vegas.
• Sebastián Santos: Marked his return to the club with a goal in the second match, adding width and pace on the counter.

The provider payload shows 4-2 with a 1-1 half-time score, which reflects a combined aggregate of two distinct 90-minute matches rather than a single game. The first match was evenly contested (1-1), while León's 3-1 second-match win suggests their deeper squad depth told as the afternoon wore on. No detailed xG or shot data was published for this friendly at the time of writing.

This was León's second pre-season fixture ahead of the Apertura 2026. They face Necaxa on Saturday 11 July 2026 in their final warm-up before the competitive season begins at home to Atlas on 17 July 2026 at the Nou Camp. The squad used the double-header to test two tactical shapes, with new signing Juan Guevara — the Colombian defender officially presented earlier in the week — watching from the stands.

For Tapatío, the match continues their own pre-season build-up to the Liga de Expansión MX Apertura 2026.

A productive workout for León. The 1-1 first match showed Tapatío can compete, but the second block demonstrated León's superior depth. Echeverría's double and Santos's return goal are the most encouraging signs for Gandolfi six days out from the season opener.