2020 Liga MX Femenil Clausura recap - Week 2

Liga MX Femenil returned for a second week, and while it was a good week for fans of the league in the United States since TUDN broadcast matches over-the-air, the lack of several star players from most teams put a bit of a damper on things. Players like Katty Martínez, Janelly Farías, Diana Evangelista, and Jocelyn Orejel were all in National Team camp preparing for Olympic qualifying, meaning their teams and others had to make due without key players - something that is unheard of for the varonil players called into camp. Still, the show must go on, and it was a show indeed.

Cruz Azul 1, América 2: A really entertaining game and one both teams can take a lot of positives from. Cruz Azul had the momentum early but a couple of big saves from América goalkeeper Heidi González kept things scoreless until the 35th minute when Marlyn Campa was able to slip one past Karla Morales. That seemed to take a bit out of the hosts, who were a bit lucky to go into the break down just one. They’d draw level immediately after the start of the half when Marylin Díaz hit a free kick that glanced off of the near post and in. On the replay it looked like González got a hand to it but couldn’t keep the ball out. In the 58th minute América would get the game winner when Janae González took a pass from Jenn Muñoz down the left wing and hit a cross to an unmarked Estefanía Fuentes, who put a header in past Karla Morales.

FC Juárez 0, Guadalajara 0: Juárez held on to get a 0-0 draw against Chivas in the lone Friday evening match. Both Silvia Machuca and Blanca Félix put on a show, each earning their first shutout of the season. The crossbars also got a workout as well, with Chivas hitting it twice and Juárez once as the sides went a full scoreless 90 minutes.

Atlas 3, Monarcas Morelia 2: A barn-burner of a game. Monarcas jumped out to the lead in the 20th minute when Karla Jiménez’ press forced María Pérez into a turnover deep in the zone. Jiménez hit a cross to Liliana Hernández, who knocked it past a helpless Ana Gaby Paz. It almost went from bad to worse for Atlas in the 41st minute when Alejandra Franco came in hard and late against Dalia Molina in the box and was whistled by Katia García for a penalty. Maria Cruzaley stepped up and hit her shot over the bar and into the fencing behind the net to keep Atlas in the game going into the halftime break. After the break, Morelia would concede a penalty and Fabiola Ibarra would hit her shot true to tie the match in the 49th minute. In the 57th minute, a breakdown by the Atlas defense saw a repeat of Atlas’ first goal as Jiménez hit a cross to Hernández. This time Franco made a sliding tackle but the ball went to the foot of Alejandra Calderón, who caught Paz going the wrong way on her shot. In the 83rd minute Atlas again drew level, this time when a quick corner caught Monarcas off-guard and Ibarra was able to head the ball in from close range. In stoppage, it was a header by Ana Rodríguez that was misplayed by goalkeeper Diana García that won the game for the home side.

Puebla 1, Querétaro 1: An even game between two pretty evenly matched teams. Querétaro jumped out to the lead in the 15th minute when Karym Iturbe stole the ball from Dulce Martínez deep and broke in on goalkeeper Brissa Rangel. Martínez hauled Iturbe down but she was able to get her shot off, beating Rangel far post. Puebla would equalize heading into stoppage before the half when Mariam Castro hit a shot that was blocked. It fell to Lupita Worbis, who got her first goal since coming out of retirement. There was some controversy in the sixth minute of stoppage when Karen Hernández was shown a yellow card for what looked like a handball but replays were inconclusive as to whether the ball hit her stomach or arm and whether or not it happened inside of the box. With no VAR, the card and free kick stood but Puebla was unable to equalize and the match ended in a tie.

Toluca 2, Club Tijuana 1: A solid game by Toluca against a good Xolos Femenil team. Mariel Román was the difference, as she scored twice in six minutes to push her team to the win and get people asking why she wasn’t in the Mexico squad like other Liga MX Femenil players. During the first half, both teams moved the ball well but never really threatened on goal. That changed in the 68th when Karen Becerril hit a shot from distance that Guadalupe Olvera stopped. Román followed up on the rebound however and headed it in to give Toluca the lead. Then in the 74th minute Karla Saavedra would hit a shot from distance that rang off of the crossbar. Román again followed up on the rebound and hit a shot that beat Olvera. Lucero Cuevas would pull one back for Xolos Femenil in the 80th when she was played in on a beautiful ball from Inglis Hernández. Cuevas would take a touch and hit a shot that beat goalkeeper Alondra Ubaldo, but it wouldn’t be enough as Toluca was able to hold on for the win.

León 0, Tigres UANL 1: León did very well to frustrate Tigres but in the end it was a great team goal by Tigres that won them three important points on the road. In the 81st minute, Carolina Jaromillo was hit with a great switch out on the left wing. She drove in, drawing the defense in toward her before hitting a pass back to Nayeli Rangel. Rangel then hit a pass through the box toward Miah Zuazua. Zuazua had her back to goal and could have taken it and turned, looking for a shot but instead she allowed the ball to go through her legs to an onrushing Belén Cruz. Cruz took a touch and fired past Maricruz González as Tigres won their first match of the season.

Club Atlético de San Luis 1, UNAM Pumas 2: Pumas rebound from a tough loss last week to go on the road and beat San Luis 2-1. Laura Herrera put the visitors up in the 40th minute when she was able to fight off a defender and hit a shot that goalkeeper Cintia Monreal mis-read or couldn’t get to in time. Four minutes later a free kick put the ball into the mixer in the box. It eventually made its way to the feet of Dania Padilla, who knocked it past Monreal for the 2-0 lead. Atleti drew one back in the 70th minute when Pumas goalkeeper Melany Villeda scuffed a clearance and Ramona Paredes was able to capitalize, hitting a shot past the out of position goalkeeper. But Pumas was able to hang on and get their first win since October.

Monterrey 2, Pachuca 1: A potential Liguilla matchup as Rayadas hosted Tuzos Femenil. Monterrey got on the board in the 27th when Daniela Solís hit a cross toward Desirée Monsiváis. Defender Diana Fierro’s sliding tackle instead knocked the ball into her own net. Solís would double the lead in the 59th when she got the ball along the left side of the box, cut back inside and hit a blistering shot that goalkeeper Alejandria Godínez could only wave at. Pachuca would be given a lifeline in the 76th minute when Paola López drove down and hit a powerful shot that deflected off of goalkeeper Claudia Lozoya and got tangled up in defender Annia Mejía’s feet. Mejía’s momentum took the ball into her own net, and try as they might Pachuca couldn’t find an equalizer as Rayadas got their first in of the season at home.

Santos Laguna 2, Necaxa 2: This was not a pretty game, but it was a game that both teams needed a point out of and were able to get. Santos went down early when Paulina Castro and Saira López scored in the seventh and fourtheenth minutes, respectively. Santos drew one back in the 15th when Isela Ojeda equalized. Las Guerreras looked to be headed to their second straight defeat when off of a free kick Ojeda was knocked down in the box. Captain Cinthya Peraza stepped up and nailed the equalizer to salvage a point for Santos.

This week:

Friday, January 17:

Cruz Azul (0W 1D 1L) vs. Atlas (2W 0D 0L) - TUDN (5:00 PM Eastern/2:00 PM Pacific)

Querétaro (0W 1D 1L) vs. FC Juárez ()

Saturday, January 18:

UNAM Pumas (1W 0D 1L) vs. Monterrey (1W 0D 0L) - TUDN (1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific)

Monday, January 20:

América (2W 0D 0L) vs. Santos Laguna (0W 1D 1L) - TUDN (6:00 PM Eastern/3:00 PM Pacific)

Monarcas Morelia (1W 0D 1L) vs. Necaxa (0W 1D 1L)

Pachuca (1W 0D 1L) vs. Club Atlético de San Luis (1W 0D 1L)

Guadalajara (0W 2D 0L) vs. León (0W 0D 2L)

Tigres UANL (1W 0D 0L) vs. Toluca (1W 0D 1L) - TUDN (8:55 PM Eastern/5:55 PM Pacific)

Club Tijuana (1W 0D 1L) vs. Puebla (1W 1D 0L)