Pachuca clinch 7th Liga MX title with 8-2 aggregate win over Toluca in Apertura 2022 final

On October 30, 2022, Club de Fútbol Pachuca lifted the Liga MX Apertura 2022 Estadio Hidalgo trophy after a 3-1 home win over Deportivo Toluca Fútbol Club, sealing an 8-2 aggregate triumph that left no doubt about their dominance. The final, played before 27,232 roaring fans in Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo, wasn’t just another title—it was history. This was Pachuca’s seventh league championship, tying them with Club América for third-most in Liga MX history, and it came amid a compressed schedule forced by the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. The win also punched their ticket to the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, setting up a showdown with Clausura 2023 champions UANL in the Campeón de Campeones. The road to glory began just three days earlier, on October 27, at Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca. Pachuca didn’t just win—they dismantled their rivals. A 5-1 rout stunned the home crowd. Roberto Ibarra scored twice in the first half, Mario Isais added another, and Victor Guzman, the quiet maestro in midfield, provided two assists. Toluca’s lone goal came from Raul Lopez, but by halftime, the visitors were already up 4-0. Fans in Toluca didn’t just lose hope—they lost patience. "There’s still 135 minutes," their Twitter account tried to rally, but the scoreboard told a different story. Momentum, as analysts noted, was entirely in Pachuca’s favor. Back in Pachuca, the atmosphere was electric. Flares lit up the stands before kickoff. The team knew they were close. Toluca struck first in the second leg, Lopez again, in the 21st minute, assisted by Carlos Gonzales. But Pachuca didn’t panic. Nicolás Ibáñez, who’d missed a penalty earlier in the match, redeemed himself with a calm, unmarked header that slipped past goalkeeper Volpi. The crowd erupted. Then, in the 78th minute, the dagger came. A foul inside the box—Gustavo Cabral brought down by a Toluca defender. Roberto de la Rosa stepped up. The penalty was converted. 3-1. The stadium shook. The referee added no time. Full-time. Champions. What made this win so special wasn’t just the scoreline. It was the consistency. Pachuca didn’t rely on one star. Ibarra, Guzman, Ibáñez, and de la Rosa all delivered when it mattered. Guzman, in particular, was the heartbeat—two assists, relentless pressing, and a calmness under pressure that belied his 25 years. Meanwhile, Toluca’s defense, once considered solid, looked disorganized and mentally broken. They had no answer for Pachuca’s quick transitions or their ability to exploit space behind their fullbacks. This was Pachuca’s first title since the Clausura 2018 season. The gap had been long, filled with near-misses and managerial changes. But under coach José Luis Real, the team rediscovered its identity: disciplined, clinical, and unflinching. "We didn’t just play for the trophy," Real said after the match. "We played for the fans who’ve waited. For the club that built Mexican football." And that’s the deeper story here. Pachuca, founded in 1901, is the oldest professional club in Mexico. They’re not just winners—they’re guardians of the game’s legacy. Their academy has produced national team stars for decades. Their victory wasn’t just about silverware. It was about legacy. Toluca, meanwhile, now faces a reckoning. After years of being title contenders, they’ve fallen behind. Their squad lacks depth. Their midfield was overrun. And their defense? A liability. The club’s president admitted after the final: "We didn’t deserve to be here. We didn’t deserve to lose like this." The 2023 Campeón de Campeones, scheduled for late 2023, will pit Pachuca against UANL—the Clausura 2023 winners. It’s a clash of styles: Pachuca’s methodical precision versus UANL’s explosive attack. But for now, Pachuca’s fans are dancing in the streets of Hidalgo. They’ve waited. They’ve suffered. And now, they’re champions.

Who were the key players in Pachuca’s championship run?

Nicolás Ibáñez (#9) delivered the crucial equalizer in the second leg after missing a penalty. Victor Guzman (#8) was the engine—1 goal, 2 assists, and relentless work rate. Roberto de la Rosa, though he didn’t score in open play, converted the decisive penalty. Goalkeeper Marcos Giménez Ustari made two vital saves in the final minutes to preserve the lead. On the other side, Raul Lopez (#32) was Toluca’s only bright spot, scoring in both legs, but he was isolated.

Why was the final held so early?

Because the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar was scheduled for November–December, CONCACAF and Liga MX moved the Apertura final to October 30 to avoid clashing with the global tournament. This was the earliest final in Liga MX history, breaking the traditional December timeline. The decision was controversial but necessary.

What does this mean for Pachuca’s future?

Qualifying for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup gives Pachuca a shot at continental glory. They’ve never won the tournament, though they’ve reached the final twice. This title boosts morale, attracts sponsorship, and strengthens their youth academy’s appeal. With core players under contract through 2025, they’re positioned to compete for another title in 2023 Clausura.

How does this compare to Pachuca’s past titles?

Their previous six titles came in 1978, 1981, 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2016. This seventh title is unique because it came after a three-year drought and amid a global pandemic recovery. The 8-2 aggregate is also the largest in a Liga MX final since 2007, when América beat Pachuca 6-1 on aggregate. For Pachuca, this was redemption.