Celaya FC produced a dramatic late surge to defeat Estudiantes de Queretaro 3-2 in a Copa Promesas MX fixture that delivered five goals, a momentum swing, and a stoppage-time winner. The away side had to come from behind twice before sealing all three points with virtually the last meaningful attack of the match.

Match overview: Estudiantes de Queretaro vs Celaya FC

Played under the lights in a Copa Promesas MX encounter, the match pitted Estudiantes de Queretaro’s energetic home pressure against Celaya FC’s patient build-up and quick transitions. For long stretches, it looked as though the hosts had done enough to protect a narrow lead, but Celaya’s late control of the game turned the result on its head.

• Final score: Estudiantes de Queretaro 2-3 Celaya FC
• Competition: Copa Promesas MX
• Match time: 30 September 2026, 05:10
• Result: Away win for Celaya FC
• Goals: Five goals, including a decisive strike in second-half stoppage time

First half: Estudiantes start brightly, Celaya respond

Estudiantes de Queretaro began with intent, pressing high and forcing Celaya FC into several rushed clearances. That early pressure paid off when Santiago Vera opened the scoring with a composed finish inside the opening quarter-hour, sending the home supporters into an early celebration.

Celaya, however, refused to panic. The visitors gradually settled into the match by winning second balls in midfield and pushing their full-backs higher. Their improved spell produced an equalizer before the half-hour mark, with Bruno Alcántara arriving late in the box to convert a low cross. From that point, the contest became more balanced, with both teams trading possession but struggling to create clear-cut chances before the break.

Second half: A penalty, a comeback, and a late twist

The second half began with Estudiantes reasserting themselves, and their reward came just before the hour. Emiliano Paredes stepped up to convert a penalty after a foul inside the area, restoring the home side’s lead at 2-1 and raising hopes of a valuable Copa Promesas MX victory.

Celaya FC responded by increasing the tempo and committing more players forward. Their persistence paid off in the 78th minute when Gael Ríos found space on the edge of the box and drilled a shot into the bottom corner. That goal shifted the momentum entirely, and Estudiantes suddenly looked nervy in possession.

With the match deep into stoppage time, Celaya delivered the knockout blow. A well-worked move down the right ended with a precise cross into the penalty area, where Pablo Núñez rose highest to head home the winner. The away bench erupted as the referee’s final whistle followed almost immediately, confirming a 3-2 victory for Celaya FC.

Key moments that decided the match

• 12’ – Estudiantes de Queretaro 1-0: Santiago Vera finishes a quick attacking move.
• 34’ – Celaya FC equalizes: Bruno Alcántara converts from close range after a sustained spell of pressure.
• 58’ – Estudiantes de Queretaro 2-1: Emiliano Paredes scores from the penalty spot.
• 78’ – Celaya FC equalizes: Gael Ríos finds the bottom corner with a low strike.
• 90+3’ – Celaya FC wins it: Pablo Núñez heads in the decisive goal from a right-sided cross.

Tactical story: Width, patience, and late pressure

Estudiantes de Queretaro’s game plan was built on intensity. They pressed Celaya’s centre-backs early, looked to win the ball high, and attacked through the half-spaces. For the first 25 minutes, that approach worked well, and the home side’s penalty early in the second half appeared to put them in control.

Celaya FC’s adjustment was subtle but effective. Their midfielders began dropping deeper to create cleaner passing lanes, while the wide players stayed high and stretched the Estudiantes back line. As the match wore on, Celaya’s possession became more purposeful, and their late goals came from exactly the kind of wide overloads they had been building toward. Estudiantes, meanwhile, struggled to keep the ball in the final 15 minutes and paid the price for sitting too deep.

Standout players

Bruno Alcántara was central to Celaya FC’s comeback, linking midfield and attack and scoring the crucial first equalizer. Gael Ríos grew into the game and produced the second-half strike that changed the atmosphere completely. Pablo Núñez will rightly take the headlines for the stoppage-time winner, but his movement in the box throughout the second half had already caused problems.

For Estudiantes de Queretaro, Santiago