Liga MX Femenil recap - Week 9

After a week hiatus, Liga MX Femenil came back with some games for everyone. A couple of barn burners, a couple of blowouts, and a couple of defensive draws welcomed fans back from the international break.

Cruz Azul 3, Guadalajara 3: A comeback for the ages from Cruz Azul to start the week. Rubí Soto got Chivas on the board first in the 38th minute when she was played in on a pinpoint pass and then chipped goalkeeper Gabriela Herrera. Nicole Pérez doubled the lead just two minutes later when she hit a free kick from just outside of the box that banged in off of the underside of the bar. Tania Morales would extend the lead once more in the 55th minute when she hit a free kick straight off of the training ground. Then to make matters worse for the hosts, Daniela Monroy picked up her second yellow card of the match in the 64th for a hard tackle. But down a player, Cruz Azul would pull one back in the 72nd when Brenda León hit a left-footed shot in the box that seemed to catch goalkeeper Blanca Félix off-balance. They’d get within one ten minutes later when Martha Enciso hit a curling blast from the top of the box that Félix got a hand to but couldn’t keep out. Then in the 88th minute Brenda León was able to capitalize on some poor defending to get on the end of a pass from deep in the midfield and then slip one in past Félix to salvage a point against Chivas.

Querétaro 0, Pachuca 3: A brace from Viridiana Salazar helped Pachuca remain in first place as Tuzos Femenil downs Querétaro 3-0. Salazar put Pachuca up for good in the 20th minute when she was able to redirect a header past goalkeeper Ivette Alvarado, and would get a second goal 11 minutes later when she was played in, kept going wide of the defender, and shot a second past Alvarado.

Atlas 2, Puebla 0: Atlas continues to impress, downing Puebla to move into fourth place in the table. Adriana Iturbide’s header off of a corner in the 26th minute was saved by goalkeeper Brissa Rangel, but Julissa Dávila was there to smash in the rebound past the prone goalkeeper. Fabiola Ibarra got her fourth goal of the season in the 70th minute when she was left wide open on the wing, received a pass from Alison González, and buried a shot from inside the box.

UNAM Pumas 4, Santos Laguna 0: A much needed victory for Pumas, who hadn’t won since Week 1 against Tijuana. Gabriela Álvarez hit a free kick through traffic in the second minute for Pumas’ first goal. Jaquelin García hit a free kick in the 24th minute that hit off of the crossbar and Daniela Sánchez was there to head the ball home to double the lead. Sánchez would get a second just six minutes later when she was able to corral a blocked shot and hit one of her own past goalkeeper Wendy Toledo. Sánchez would see a straight red card in the 36th minute however when she got tangled up with Olga Trasviña and she wound up kicking Trasviña in the head with a glancing blow. In the 80th minute, Ana Gutíerrez would be whistled for a handball in the box, and Daniela García would convert for Pumas’ fourth of the afternoon. Pumas goalkeeper Melany Villeda and her defense have now not conceded a goal in 416 straight minutes.

Morelia 2, León 1: Back in Week 6, Morelia was still in 17th place and an afterthought in any meaningful Liguilla conversation. They’ve since won three straight and sit tied in points with three other teams for the eighth seed in the Liguilla, thanks in part to a 2-1 win against León. Dalia Molina converted a penalty in the 30th minute and Lizette Rodríguez capitalized on a turnover by León in their own eighteen yard box, slotting it to Alejandra Calderón for the easy goal. Molina had a chance with a second penalty in the 71st minute but her shot hit flush off of the post and out of danger. Yamile Franco got one back for León in the 87th and the visitors really pressured for the equalizer but Monarcas was able to hang on.

Toluca 0, TIgres UANL 0: Two of the league’s top five clubs played to a scoreless draw in Toluca on Monday evening. Ofelia Solís got her third shutout of the season for Tigres, while Dayan Téllez picked up her second.

Monterrey 4, América 1: A great result for Rayadas; a terrible result for América. Desirée Monsiváis picked up a hat trick to give her a league best 10 goals on the season. She got her first in the 22nd minute when she was able to chest in a ball that ricocheted off of the crossbar on a corner kick. Diana Evangelista picked up her fifth goal of the season in the 28th minute when she got to a cross on the right side, put defender Ximena Rios through ringer, and hit a perfectly angled shot that beat goalkeeper Jaidy Gutiérrez yet tucked inside of the far post. Monsiváis’ second came in the 44th when she was able to get on the end of a Daniela Solís pass that was set up on a great team build up and bury it past Gutiérrez. Daniela Espinosa got the lone goal for América in the 53rd when she hit a right footed blast from the right side of the pitch that Claudia Lozoya wasn’t able to push wide. It was the Monsiváis show however, and she got her third of the night in the 65th with a banger into the top corner from inside of the box.

Juárez 0, Necaxa 0: Necaxa was unable to get a win in perhaps its best chance of the year, drawing debutantes Juárez. Las Centellas haven’t won since Week 17 last season, which was their lone win of the 2019 Clausura.

Tijuana 3, Atlético San Luis 0: A solid performance by Xolos, who continue their climb up the standings and now sit in sixth place. Miroslava Maprigat put the hosts up in the fifth minute when she hit a shot from the top of the box that goalkeeper Cintia Monreal couldn’t get to. Renae Cuéllar got her sixth goal of the season in the 38th minute when she was able to create some space between her and her defender and hit a shot from about 25 yards out. Casandra Cuevas rounded out the scoring on the evening in the 50th minute when a shot by Cuéllar was saved by Monreal and Cuevas was able to get a foot to the rebound and knock it in. Xolos goalkeeper Itzel González and the Xolos defense got their third shutout of the season.

Bye week: Veracruz

Next week:

Friday, September 13:

Monterrey (7W 0D 2L) vs. Veracruz (2W 4D 2L)

Querétaro (4W 1D 3L) vs. Tijuana (4W 2D 2L)

Saturday, September 14:

Tigres UANL (4W 4D 0L) vs. Atlético San Luis (2W 2D 5L)

Sunday, September 15:

Puebla (3W 1D 5L) vs. Morelia (4W 1D 4L)

Monday, September 16:

Toluca () vs. Juárez (0W 3D 5L)

Guadalajara (4W 1D 3L) vs. América (4W 2D 2L)

Pachuca (7W 1D 1L) vs. Atlas (4W 3D 2L)

León (1W 3D 4L) vs. Necaxa (0W 2D 6L)

Santos Laguna (1W 2D 5L) vs. Cruz Azul (4W 1D 4L)

Bye week: UNAM Pumas (2W 4D 3L)