Preview: Toluca vs Necaxa - prediction, team news, lineups

Necaxa can keep their perfect record in the 2026-27 Liga MX Apertura campaign alive with a victory on Sunday over Toluca at Estadio Nemesio Diez.

Last Tuesday, Diablos Rojos suffered their first defeat of the new season, 2-1 at Pumas, while Necaxa improved to 2-0 in the Apertura, thanks to a 2-1 win over Monterrey.

Match preview

Some difficult second-half performances last week proved to be the undoing of Toluca, who are in a minor slump heading into this weekend.

Antonio Mohamed’s men have lost their last two competitive fixtures, falling to Cruz Azul 3-1 in the Campeon de Campeones final last weekend.

They have failed to score a second-half goal in their last two matches played across all competitions and on Sunday could suffer consecutive Apertura defeats for the first time since losing their final three outings of the 2023 season.

The reigning champions of this competition are in danger of suffering a second home defeat in the Apertura regular season, which would be one more than they incurred in the last campaign.

Finding the back of the net at home has not been easy for them of late, with this side scoring a goal or fewer in four of their last five competitive outings at Estadio Nemesio Diez.

Their last six home meetings versus Necaxa ended with Toluca earning a positive result, and Los Escarlatas emerging victorious on five of those occasions.

We are still early into the new season, but there is a lot of optimism at Necaxa, and for good reason as they are one of four sides in the league that boast a 100% record so far.

All four of their goals scored in the competition this year have come in the final 45 minutes, while they have not conceded in the opening half.

Martin Varini’s side have not scored a first-half goal in their last four Liga MX encounters away from home.

On Sunday they have a chance to win three straight Apertura affairs in the regular season for the first time since August of 2021.

At the same time, they can extend their unbeaten run away from home in this competition to three matches this weekend, netting a combined five times in those last two outings.

Also on Sunday, Los Rayos can claim their first Liga MX away victory against Toluca since the 2020 Clausura campaign when a stoppage-time strike enabled them to triumph 3-2.

Toluca Liga MX form:

Toluca form (all competitions):

Necaxa Liga MX form:

Team News

A knee injury will likely prevent Oswaldo Virgen from featuring for Toluca this weekend, while Marcel Ruiz will not be available as he recovers from a cruciate ligament tear.

Jorge Diaz gave them an early lead against Pumas last week, only for his side to concede twice in the second half.

Between matchdays one and two, we saw just one change to the Necaxa starting 11, as Francisco Mendez got the start over Alexis Pena versus Monterrey.

Julian Carranza has goals in each of his last two games as he and Juan Valencia netted in their matchday two triumph.

Toluca possible starting lineup:

Gonzalez; Barbosa, B. Mendez, Luan, Garcia; Arce, Guzman; Angulo, Helinho, Vega; Diaz

Necaxa possible starting lineup:

Jimenez; Martinez, F. Mendez, Oliveros; Monreal, Leyva, Faravelli, Rodriguez; Torres, Ruiz; Carranza