Controversial Alexis Vega penalty gives Toluca advantage over Atlas

An early penalty for a Florián Monzón handball, reviewed by VAR and converted by Alexis Vega, paved the way for Toluca's 5-2 thrashing of Atlas, solidifying their second place in Liga MX.

13 Sep 2026 By Sofía Salcedo · senior correspondent

A controversial 17th-minute penalty was the turning point in Deportivo Toluca Fútbol Club's thrashing of Atlas. Central referee Mario Terrazas awarded a spot-kick for a Florián Monzón handball inside the area after a VAR review, and Alexis Vega made no mistake from eleven meters to open the scoring.

The Nemesio Diez hell

That conversion unleashed a red avalanche. Within minutes, Jesús Angulo and Federico Viñas extended the lead, completing a first-half hat-trick of goals. The solid display from the home team left the red-and-black visitors, who had shown initial resistance, with no answer.

League context

This 5-2 victory, from the matchday of September 13, 2026, solidifies a strong run for the Red Devils. With this result, Toluca firmly holds second place in the Liga MX standings, with 13 points from six games.

The reaction Atlas needed to avoid a heavier defeat never materialized convincingly. The home team managed the game with authority until the final whistle. With this win, Toluca faces their next league commitment, a visit to bottom-placed CF Pachuca on November 21, in high spirits. The full season schedule is available on our fixtures page.