Pumas lose 2-3 to Atletico San Luis: Keylor Navas error pushes Liguilla race into danger zone

Three winless matches have not killed Pumas' Liguilla hopes, but a 2-3 home defeat to Atlético de San Luis at Ciudad Universitaria has turned an already difficult race into a tense equation. Rodrigo López's equalizer lasted only a few minutes. Keylor Navas, a goalkeeper who once lifted the Champions League with Real Madrid, failed to hold a seemingly harmless ball, and the visitors immediately punished him. That moment did not only decide the score: it exposed exactly what Pumas lack most right now, certainty inside the penalty box. The match belonged to Jornada 10 of Liga MX and was expected to be an opportunity for Pumas to bounce back after a run of unstable results. They played at home, welcomed César Huerta back, and faced an Atlético de San Luis side not rated higher in class. But football does not run on reputation. Pumas started with initiative, controlled the ball and tried to approach the opposition goal. The problem was not intention, it was clarity. Attacks down the left flank with Chino Huerta and Luciano Herrera created some dangerous moments but lacked the final decisive pass. That shortage of precision left Pumas stuck against a defence that only needed to stay concentrated. This defeat did not come from being dominated. Pumas lost because they handed opportunities to the opponent. The first penalty came from a foul by Ángel Azuaje on Felipe Mora inside the box. Salles-Lamonge did not miss from the spot. The second conceded goal came from another foul, this time by Luciano Herrera, also inside the area, and Salles-Lamonge scored again. Two penalties in one match are not bad luck. They are a sign of loose tactical discipline, of centre-backs and defensive midfielders failing to read the situation before the ball arrived. Juninho's disallowed offside goal was another reminder of how fragile Pumas were around set pieces and high balls. Keylor Navas deserved to be the focus of the match, but not in the way he wanted. For a goalkeeper with his Champions League pedigree, expectations are always higher than average. He was a hero in big matches, but at an age past his peak, one moment of lost concentration is enough to change everything. The error immediately after the equalizer made Pumas lose emotion and rhythm, and they no longer had the strength to turn the match around. The question for Esteban Solari is not only whether Navas will keep the starting spot, but whether the defence can protect a goalkeeper whose reflexes are no longer at their best. Pumas need a stable goal, but they currently have an anxious one. The context matters because Pumas entered the match with a disrupted lineup. The FIFA date meant some key players were unavailable and forced Solari to patch things up. César Huerta's return was a positive signal, but it was not enough to cover the lack of cohesion. The team lacked continuity and smooth rhythm, and that showed in how they handled key moments. Pumas have no time to regret. The upcoming schedule is described as complicated, and every remaining match carries the weight of a reverse final. Esteban Solari is entering a pressure zone. Three consecutive matches without a win, including a home defeat against a direct rival in the Liguilla race, is the perfect face of a crisis of confidence. Mexican media will dig into every squad decision, from keeping Navas in goal to setting up the defensive line. The danger for Solari is not one poor match, it is that his team repeats the same script of individual errors. Two penalties, one goalkeeper mistake, three winless matches: that is the formula for a negative cycle. Atlético de San Luis, by contrast, left Ciudad Universitaria with three points and a large amount of confidence. Salles-Lamonge was the hero with his penalty brace, but the real value was the ability to exploit the opponent's mistakes. They did not need to dominate the game or control possession at a higher level. They only needed discipline, precision and enough coldness in the box. That is exactly the kind of match a Liguilla contender needs to win to build momentum. César Huerta's return was one of the few bright spots. He brings unpredictability, dribbling and moments that attract multiple defenders. But football is not only about individual breakthroughs. If Pumas cannot create a collective structure around Huerta, the risk of falling into a one-man game is huge. The return of a star does not automatically repair the defence or refresh the finishing. Mathematically, Pumas still have a chance to reach the Liguilla. But the key phrase in this analysis is margin for error. A team that has gone three matches without a win, conceded from two penalties and one individual mistake, cannot view itself as a strong candidate. They need a spark, and that spark must come from the dressing room. The 2-3 defeat to Atlético de San Luis is not the end for Pumas, but it is a final warning. Without a change of approach, without fixing the psychological hole in defence, and without helping Keylor Navas regain calm, Pumas will soon say goodbye to their Liguilla dream. Esteban Solari does not have much time left to prove he is the man who can turn things around.