Ascenso MX Recap: Jornada 1 Apertura 2017

Jornada 1 of the Ascenso MX 2017 Apertura tournament kicked off this weekend (22-23 of July) with four matches featuring eight of the sixteen league teams in action on Friday night and culminated with four more matches featuring the remaining eight league teams on Saturday. Here's how all the action went down!

Atlante 4-1 Cafetaleros

The first match of the 2017 Ascenso MX Apertura tournament got off to a roaring start as a first minute goal by Lizandro Echeverría gave hometown Atlante the lead. Los Potros de hierro hardly even looked back as as Echeverría put another goal into the back of the net just passed the 12 minute mark. Sadly, however, Echeverría appeared to break his leg as he crashed into the goal post while scoring his second goal. Tapachula scored in the 51st minute to make things interesting before another two Atlante goals put the match out of reach.

Leones Negros 0-1 Correcaminos FC

Leones Negros came into their first match of the season at home against Correcaminos as one of the teams to beat. Unfortunately for the hometown crowd, los Leones hardly played anything like one of the league favorites. They struggled to string together a run of consecutive passes and lacked fluidity on offense. Correcaminos didn't look all that great either, but a goal on the stroke of halftime was enough to give them a hard fought victory.

Venados 1-2 Mineros

It only took 14 minutes for Mineros to open the scoring after José Jonny Magallón scored from a sweet strike just inside of the area. The game continued to be free flowing from that point on, but neither team was clinical enough to put another goal into the back of the net before halftime. Venados managed to get back into the game and make things interesting with a goal in the 52nd minute. However, it was los Mineros who would have the final word as Christian López scored an 84th minute goal to win the match.

Cimarrones 0-1 Murciélagos

The match was a cagey affair that didn't provide the fans in Hermosillo with much to talk about afterwards. Both teams struggled to break down their opposite number's defense and looked hapless on offense. However, in the 70th minute, Murciélagos finally broke down their opposition and put away the match's loan goal.

Alebrijes 2-1 Atlético de San Luis

The match between Alebrjes and Atlético de San Luis marked the return of professional football for San Luis. The city had been without a team for over a year after the folding of their last squad. However, the joyous occasion for fútbol fans in San Luis wasn't all sunshine and rainbows as their team fell in their first competitive match on the road in Oaxaca. Sebastián Penco's goal in the 37th minute marked the first goal in league play for Atlético de San Luis in team history.

Jaiba Brava 0-0 Zacatepec

The Jaiba Brava hosted Club Atlético Zacatepec in their first competitive match since their relocation from Nayarit. The match left a lot to be desired as both teams cancelled one another out. At the end of 90 minutes there were no goals from either team.

FC Juárez 1-1 Celaya FC

The conditions were less than ideal as los Bravos de FC Juárez hosted Celaya at Estadio Olimpico de Benito Juárez to open up the 2017 Aperatura season for both teams on Saturday night. For much of the week leading up to the match and match day itself the sky opened and dumped what seemed like an endless supply of rain onto the borderland region. As a direct consequence of the rain players struggled to pass the ball along the waterlogged pitch. Stringing together more than 3-4 passes at a time seemed near impossible at various points of the match. However, in the 81st minute Rayo Fernández scored a powerful header to give the home team a late lead. the few fans of the home team that braved the weather conditions must have thought they would be taking home all three points after the late goal, but Pablo Ruíz and Celaya had other ideas. Ruíz scored in the first minute of stoppage time to ensure that the teams split the points.

Dorados 3-2 Potros UAEM

Dorados and Potros UAEM played out the most exciting match of Jornada 1 with a total of five goals scored between the two teams! The game was filled with fast flowing action as the teams raced up and down the length of the pitch whipping balls into dangerous areas and scoring at whim. At the half Potros UAEM held a slender one goal lead off of a 2nd minute goal. However, within the first few minutes of the second half they found themselves down by a goal. Almost as quickly as they found themselves down they managed to score an equalizer. However, Dorados proved to be the stronger team as they scored in the 80th minute to win the match.