2020 Liga MX Femenil Clausura recap - Week 7

This week was the first week that the players who were with the Mexico National Team for Olympic qualifying were back with their clubs, and some teams benefit from that more than others. There were quite a few golazos this week too, and unfortunately one match was postponed because of the men’s team.

Cruz Azul 3, Santos Laguna 1: A good win for Cruz Azul at home against a Santos Laguna team that might feel a bit hard done by the score line. Susana Romero scored her first goal of the afternoon in the 14th minute when she hit a perfectly placed shot past Diana Sánchez. Santos fought back with several good chances and looked like they’d get to the half down one but María Tovar was able to get onto a corner kick in the 40th minute and knock it in. Santos would draw one back in the second when Daniela Delgado hit a golazo from outside of the area that went in off of the underside of the crossbar in the 50th. That’s as close as Santos would get however. In the 74th, Romero hit another well-placed shot from outside of the box to seal the win. Delgado would let her frustration get the best of her, picking up two yellow cards in the span of just four minutes, getting sent off in the 79th.

Querétaro 3, Necaxa 3: While both teams should be encouraged by the offensive output, both should be more upset that they weren’t able to come out with a win. Karym Iturbe got things started in the 21st minute when she was able to draw goalkeeper Doris Meza off of her line and knock the ball into an empty net. Jazmín López was able to get her head onto a booming free kick from Fatima Servin in the 37th and Querétaro went into the half up two goals. Necaxa would pull one back in the 50th when Saira López and Dulce Alvarado played give-and-go and López hit a shot that beat goalkeeper Ivette Alvarado. The home side would answer almost immediately when Zoe Tapia floated a cross to Karen Hernández and Hernández easily tapped it in to make it 3-1 in the 52nd. Four minutes later some poor defending by Querétaro allowed Dariana Rubio to pull Necaxa within one, and that set the stage for Lessli Horta to play Dulce Alvarado in on goal in the 77th.

Atlas 2, FC Juárez 1: It looked like Atlas was going to pick up its second loss of the season to Juárez when Atzimba Casas hit a laser from inside of the box in the 72nd minute, but late goals made the difference as they won 2-1. In the 88th minute Ana García made a lung-busting run down the right and hit a cross into Paola García, and she was able to re-direct it into the top of the net past Stefani Jiménez to tie the game. Then deep into stoppage Fernanda Limón hit a free kick stunner to get all three points for the home side. Atlas now sit in third place with just one point separating them from first place América.

Puebla 1, Club Atlético de San Luis 1: Puebla looked like they’d be able to hang on for a victory but a late goal by Daniela Carrandi saw the sides each walk away with a point. Lupita Worbis’ header in the 16th put Puebla up, and Puebla had a goal disallowed after it was judged that Andrea Ortega interfered with goalkeeper Cintia Monreal as she attempted to make a save. Carrandi was able to tie the match in the 89th with a goal from the top of the box that beat goalkeeper Brissa Rangel top shelf.

Monarcas Morelia 1, América 2: A solid win by Las Águilas, as they get a win on the road against Morelia. Jana Gutiérrez took advantage of some lax defending off of a throw-in set piece in the 12th minute to score her third goal of the season. Liliana Hernández converted a penalty in the 25th minute to pull the home side even at one, but in the 39th América would get the game winner when Montserrat Hernández initiated a fast break and swung it out wide to Marlyn Campa, who would make a run and hit a shot that beat goalkeeper Diana García for Campa’s fifth goal in six games. América retains the top spot in the league with 17 points in just seven games.

Toluca 1, Monterrey 2: Toluca played well but Rayadas was just that much better, getting the 2-1 win on the road at Estadio Nemesio Díez. Desirée Monsiváis converted a penalty in the 10th minute and Toluca fought back, creating several chances that just would not go in. Unfazed, Monsiváis would then hit a beautiful free kick in the 33rd. Karla Saavedra was able to pull one back for the home side in the 76th when she got on the end of a great cross from Karime Abud, but Toluca was unable to find another before time expired.

Tigres UANL 3, Pachuca 1: A good match between two of the better teams in the league but in the end it was Stefany Mayor’s brilliance that shone through. Mayor put Tigres up in the 13th when Jackie Ovalle dropped a perfect cross from the left side that Mayor hit in stride. In the 28th Mayor would strike again when Katty Martínez played a through ball that allowed Mayor to split the defense, draw out goalkeeper Alejandría Godínez and then hit a blast that went in off of Sumiko Gutiérrez. Viridiana Salazar drew one back in the 41st when she was left unattended on the far post and got her head on a Fátima Arrellano cross. But Pachuca’s fate was sealed in the 63rd when Ovalle had a penalty that was initially stopped by Godínez but Ovalle got to the rebound and knocked it home. Tigres sit one point behind América in the table and have a game in hand.

Tijuana 1, Guadalajara 4: The good news for Tijuana is that they got their National Team players back into a lineup that sorely missed their presence. The bad news for Tijuana is that an already strong Chivas side got theirs back in time for their match. Jocelyn Orejel, who had been out with the National Team, played a great through ball to Lucero Cuevas in the seventh minute. Cuevas was able to chip goalkeeper Blanca Félix and put Xolos Femenil up early. But it would be all Chivas from that point on. Janelly Farias, Orejel’s linemate on the National Team, got her head on a corner kick in the eighth minute to tie the match. Chivas would take the lead permanently in the eleventh when a through ball split the Tijuana defense and sprung Evelyn González, who was able to draw goalkeeper Itzel González off of her line. Evelyn González went around Itzel González and calmly put the ball into the back of the net. In the 31st, a mistake by Orejel allowed Yashira Barrientos in on goal, and her shot beat the goalkeeper to make it 3-1 in favor of the visitors. Tania Morales tacked on an insurance goal in the 61st with a beautiful free kick that caught González going the wrong way and went in off of the underside of the crossbar.

León vs. UNAM Pumas: This match was postponed due to León’s men’s team playing their first round of the Concacaf Champions League against Los Angeles FC on Tuesday. The match will be played on April 13.

Next week:

Friday, February 21:

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

Saturday, February 22:

UNAM Pumas (2W 3D 1L) vs. FC Juárez (1W 2D 4L)

Sunday, February 23:

Monterrey (4W 1D 1L) vs. Puebla (3W 2D 2L)

Monday, February 24:

América (5W 2D 0L) vs. Toluca (1W 1D 5L)

Monarcas Morelia (3W 1D 3L) vs. Cruz Azul (2W 3D 2L)

Pachuca (3W 1D 3L) vs. Querétaro (0W 2D 5L)

Guadalajara (3W 3D 1L) vs. Atlas (5W 1D 1L)

Club Atlético de San Luis (2W 2D 3L) vs. Tigres UANL (5W 1D 0L)

Santos Laguna (0W 2D 5L) vs. León (2W 1D 3L)