Liga MX Femenil recap - 2019 Clausura Week 13

Monterrey remained unbeaten, Necaxa remained winless, and the Group 1 Liguilla hunt got even more interesting.

Cruz Azul 2, Toluca 0: Mariana Zárraga got her fourth shutout in eight games as Cruz Azul continued their turnaround, defeating Toluca 2-0. Itzel Cruz got La Maquina on the board in the 39th minute when she was able to beat the offside trap and hit a shot through the legs of goalkeeper Dayan Téllez. Daniela Monroy doubled the lead in the 55th minute when she converted a penalty. Cruz Azul jump from last place in Group 1 to sixth, and their 12 points are just four behind fourth place Puebla. Toluca is tied for eighth with 11 points.

Querétaro 2, Atlas 3: Atlas continues to make their claim for being one of the best teams in Liga MX Femenil, downing Querétaro to keep pace with Monterrey and Tigres. Things got off to a bad start however for the visitors, as goalkeeper Ana Paz played a pass that was picked off in the eighteen yard box by Daniela Auza. Auza would draw Paz and defenders, then slot the ball wide to Elisa Espino, who would put the ball into the back of the net. It would be undone in the 34th minute when Atlas forward Ana García went for a centering pass that center back Paola Urbieta would put into her own net. García would get one of her own in the 46th minute when Alejandra Franco played a fantastic through ball that García buried to give Atlas the lead. Alejandra Tapia would pull the teams level in the 62nd minute when she hit a chip shot up and over Paz after a giveaway in the Atlas defensive end. But it would be Fabiola Ibarra who would be the hero for Atlas, converting a penalty in the 78th minute after Adriana Iturbide was tripped in the box going after a cross from Ibarra. Atlas are still in second place in Group 2 with 26 points, four behind Monterrey. Querétaro is still in eighth place with just four points.

UNAM Pumas 0, Pachuca 1: A defensive mistake by Ana López allowed Sanjuana Muñoz to chip goalkeeper Melany Villeda and get the lone goal on the afternoon for Pachuca, who were able to stay atop Group 1 with 24 points, while Pumas remains in third with 18 points, two points ahead of fourth place Puebla.

Puebla 0, Club América 2: América would do their part in keeping up with Pachuca, downing Puebla 2-0. Dayana Cazares would get América on the board in the 18th minute when she was in the right place at the right time to him home a ball off of a corner kick. Daniela Espinosa would cap a fantastic run with a goal in the 65th minute to ensure Las Águilas got their eighth win of the season. América are in second place in Group 1 with 26 points while Puebla are in fourth with 16.

Monarcas Morelia 3, Necaxa 1: Alejandra Zaragoza would put Necaxa on top in the 28th minute when she converted a penalty, and it looked as if Los Rayos would get their first win of the season until the 72nd minute when Dalia Molina would put a header past goalkeeper Andrea Rivera to knot the match. A minute later in an almost exact replay of Molina’s goal, Diana Guatemala would take another long cross into the box and head it past Rivera. Alejandra Calderón would hit a long range shot at the 90 minute mark to seal the win for Monarcas, who remain in seventh place in Group 2 with 10 points. Necaxa have the dubious distinction of being in last place with just two points on the season.

Guadalajara 0, Monterrey 1: A win is a win, and Monterrey was able to get one over Chivas thanks to Rebeca Bernal’s goal in the ninth minute. Bernal would take a pinpoint pass from almost the halfway line with her right foot and in a fluid motion shoot with her right, beating Blanca Félix for the only goal of the match. Monterrey has a league best 29 points, while Chivas remain in fifth place in Group 2. While they are tied on points with León (who had a bye week), they’re behind La Fiera on goal differential for the final playoff spot in Group 2.

Tigres UANL 2, Santos Laguna 0: The match was closer than perhaps the score indicates. Santos did well to defend against the Tigres onslaught, however Liliana Mercado would finally break through in the 52nd minute when Belén Cruz was brought down in the box by Santos goalkeeper Wendy Toledo. Toledo would stop Mercado’s initial shot from the spot and get a touch on the follow up shot, but was unable to stop the ball from going in. In the 64th minute, Lizbeth Ovalle would make a spin move away from a defender and then hit a rocket into the top corner of the net. Tigres keeps pace with Monterrey and Atlas, sitting just three behind Rayadas and one behind Atlas while Santos is in sixth in Group 2, just two points behind León for the final Liguilla spot in the group.

Tijuana 0, Lobos BUAP 2: Lobos BUAP picked up three critical points in Tijuana. Dulce Martínez got Lobos’ first goal on the evening when she’d hit a header up and over Tijuana goalkeeper Itzel González in the 11th minute. Dayan Fuentes would double the lead in the 38th when she ran past three Xolos Femenil defenders untested and shot past a helpless González. Lobos now sit in fifth place with 12 points, up three places over last week and just four points out of a Liguilla spot. Also four points behind Lobos is Tijuana, who sink to seventh thanks in part to a -10 goal differential.

Next week:

Friday, March 22:

Necaxa (0W 2D 9L) vs. Guadalajara (5W 2D 5L)

Saturday, March 23:

Atlas (9W 0D 3L) vs. León (5W 2D 4L)

Club América (8W 2D 1L) vs. Tijuana (3W 3D 6L)

Monday, March 25:

Lobos BUAP (3W 3D 6L) vs. UNAM Pumas (6W 0D 5L) - Univision Deportes - 5:55 PM Eastern / 2:55 PM Pacific

Toluca (3W 2D 6L) vs. Puebla (4W 4D 4L) - Univision Deportes - 7:55 PM Eastern / 4:55 PM Pacific

Pachuca (8W 3D 1L) vs. Veracruz (3W 2D 6L)

Monterrey (9W 2D 0L) vs. Tigres UANL (8W 2D 2L)

Santos Laguna (4W 3D 5L) vs. Querétaro (1W 1D 9L)

Bye week: Cruz Azul (3W 3D 6L), Monarcas Morelia (2W 4D 6L)