Liga MX Femenil recap - Week 18

The Liguilla picture came into sharp focus this week, with most teams knowing whether they’re in or out and some even knowing where they’re going to finish on the table. This will set up a final week full of intrigue and great matchups.

The week was marred with tragedy however as Club América forward Diana González passed away due to hypoglycemia. The 26 year old passed away on Friday, with men’s and women’s teams across Mexico observing a moment of silence in her memory. The match between América and Cruz Azul was postponed, with a heart-wrenching tribute taking place prior to the match.

Juárez 0, Querétaro 0: Juárez and Querétaro played to a scoreless draw. Juárez goalkeeper Silvia Machuca stopped three shots on goal for her fourth shutout of the season, while Natalia Acuña stopped all five shots she faced to earn her fourth shutout of the season and second in a row. Both teams are out of the Liguilla hunt, with Juárez sitting in 18th place while Querétaro is tied with León for 12th place.

Atlas 1, Tigres UANL 4: A solid win by Tigres over a very good Atlas side. Mexican-American Miah Zuazua put Tigres on the board in the sixth minute when Atlas goalkeeper Ana Gaby Paz misplayed punching out a ball into the box. Zuazua was able to corral the ball, fake out a defender, and hit a shot past the out of position Paz. The rest of the first half was fairly even, although Atlas was able to get a couple shots off. In the second half, Tigres would double the lead in the 55th minute when Greta Espinoza was able to go up and get her head onto a corner kick and put it past Paz. Atlas pulled one back in the 61st minute when Maritza Maldonado was able to get to a deflected corner kick and knock it past goalkeeper Ofelia Solís. That was as close as Atlas would get however, as in the 69th Espinoza was able to head another corner kick in past Paz to make it 3-1. Tigres would tack on one more in the 83rd when Nancy Antonio converted a penalty. Tigres will finish the season in second place regardless of the results next week, while Atlas is in a four way tie for fifth place.

Guadalajara 1, UNAM Pumas 1: Pumas got on the board first but Chivas was able to equalize, earning a draw for both sides. In the sixth minute, Laura Herrera hit a hopeful shot from distance that was misplayed by goalkeeper Blanca Félix. Rubí Soto salvaged a point for the home side when she got a pass onto her right foot in the box, switched it over to her left, and tucket it inside the near post in the 72nd minute. Chivas is part of the four way tie for fifth place, while Pumas sit in 14th place and out of Liguilla contention.

América 1, Cruz Azul 1: The Clásico Joven had to be postponed due to the tragic passing of Diana González. When it got underway on Monday, it was an emotional scene with the players holding a pregame ceremony in memory of their fallen teammate.

In the 31st minute of the game, Daniela Espinosa scored when she hit a shot that hit off of a defender and went in, setting off an emotional celebration. In the 59th, Martha Enciso would pull Cruz Azul level when she was able to get to a through ball and poke it past goalkeeper Heidi González. América is part of the group tied for fifth place, while Cruz Azul was eliminated from Liguilla contention.

Veracruz 1, Necaxa 0: After going winless in nine games, Veracruz has now won two straight despite the reports of the abysmal conditions at the club. Goalkeeper María Ayala got her fifth shutout of the season while Valeria Lagunes’ wonderstrike in the 60th downed Necaxa. Both teams are out of the Liguilla hunt, with Veracruz currently sitting in 15th while Necaxa is in 19th.

León 3, Puebla 3: Goals galore as León and Puebla ended in a 3-3 draw. Puebla jumped out to a two goal lead in the first half thanks to Mariam Castro tapping in a rebound in the 35th minute and Andrea Ortega’s shot from inside of the box in the 44th minute. After the restart, Yamile Franco would get one for the hosts with a blast from long range that Brissa Rangel couldn’t get to. In the 47th minute, Andrea Ortega would get the third and final goal for the visitors when she got to a free kick and knocked it past Maricruz Gonzalez. A minute after that, Sanjuana Muñoz would get her team’s second of the evening when she headed a cross in past Rangel. Montserrat Martínez finally drew León level in the 70th minute when she got her head to a cross. Both teams are eliminated from the Liguilla, with Puebla in 11th place and León in 12th.

Santos Laguna 1, Monarcas Morelia 2: Morelia keeps their Liguilla hopes alive with a win on the road against Santos. Paleta Gómez put Santos on the board in the first minute when Cinthya Peraza made a good move and hit an even better through ball up to Gómez, who shot it past Diana García. Monarcas’ María Cruzaley tied the match in the 16th when she hit a ridiculous shot with her back to goal that went in past Wendy Toledo. In the 50th minute, a poor pass from Katia Estrada back toward Toledo was intercepted by Jocelyn Flores, who shot it into the wide open net. With the win, Morelia is the only team remaining outside of the Liguilla that can make it in. They’ll need to win at home against Veracruz, one of the teams tied at 28 points to lose, and to have a greater goal differential in order to extend their season into the Liguilla.

Atlético San Luis 0, Pachuca 3: Viridiana Salazar got her league-leading 17th goal as Pachuca downed Atlético San Luis 3-0. In the 22nd minute, Salazar got the ball in the box with her back to goal, and in one motion turned and fired a shot that sent in despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Cintia Monreal to keep it out. Diana Fierro converted a penalty just before halftime, and Paola Monroy added a goal off of a corner kick in the 82nd minute to round out the scoring. Goalkeeper Paola Manrique earned the first shutout of her career and Pachuca will finish in third place while Atleti sits in 17th place.

Tijuana 0, Monterrey 3: While Xolos Femenil may be an up and coming squad, Monterrey proved they are the class of the league, beating Tijuana 3-0. Desirée Monsiváis scored her 16th goal in the 17th minute when she got her head onto a Daniela Solís cross into the box. Two minutes later it was Andrea Hernández finishing a deadly Rayadas counter with a shot from just inside of the box. Solís rounded out the scoring when she played a great give and go in the 75th minute culminating with a shot past goalkeeper Itzel González. Rayadas clinced the superlíder last week and will look to continue to set records while Tijuana will continue to fight to ensure a playoff berth as they’re one of the teams tied for fifth place.

Bye week: Toluca

Next week:

Friday, November 8:

Atlas (7W 7D 3L) vs. León (5W 5D 7L)

Cruz Azul (6W 5D 6L) vs. Tijuana (8W 4D 5L)

Querétaro (5W 5D 7L) vs. Tigres UANL (12W 4D 1L)

Necaxa (1W 2D 14L) vs. Atlético San Luis (2W 4D 11L)

Juárez (1W 4D 12L) vs. América (8W 5D 4L)

Monday, November 11:

Morelia (7W 4D 6L) vs. Veracruz (4W 5D 8L)

Pachuca (11W 3D 3L) vs. Guadalajara (8W 4D 5L)

Toluca (8W 4D 5L) vs. Santos Laguna (4W 4D 9L)

Monterrey (15W 0D 2L) vs. UNAM Pumas (4W 7D 6L)

Bye: Puebla (5W 6D 7L)