Liga MX Femenil recap: 2020 Apertura, Week 3

Another week in the books, with some amazing displays of skill on both sides of the ball. The top teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack already, while the remaining teams are all jockeying for position.

Toluca 1, Guadalajara 4: On a rainy afternoon in Toluca, Chivas came out with another statement win, downing Toluca 4-1. Alicia Cervantes scored her fourth goal in three games in the 17th minute when María Sánchez hit a cross from the left wing that Cervantes got a perfect touch on with her right shin to knock it past Dayan Téllez from close range. In the 26th, Natalia Mauleon hit a shot from distance that forced Blanca Félix to make a fantastic diving save on. Chivas then allowed their only goal so far this season in the 40th minute when they failed to clear a corner kick from Toluca and Mariel Román was able to knock one past Félix to draw the sides level just before the half. In the 48th minute, Toluca almost took the lead when Carolina Miranda went through and got off a shot, but Félix was able to stop the shot and hold onto it. Chivas would re-gain the lead in the 56th minute when Joseline Montoya hit a shot that Téllez hit up into the crossbar and then trickled in over the line close to the far post. Chivas doubled their lead in the 68th when Cervantes played a good ball in to lead Nicole Pérez, who poked it past Téllez. They almost tacked on another in the 71st when Tania Morales hit one off of the crossbar but it wound up in the trees behind the goal. Noemi Granados almost pulled one back in the 87th with a shot from distance that beat Félix but whistled just over the crossbar. A minute later though María Sánchez tacked on an insurance goal when she uncorked a shot from distance that went through Téllez’ hands.

Necaxa 0, Mazatlán FC 1: Necaxa looked to be the better side for most of the match but Mazatlán got their first win since moving from Morelia, downing Las Centellas 1-0. Liliana Hernández made a fantastic run down the left and hit a shot past Montserrat González in the 64th minute for the only goal of the game.

Atlas 3, Gallos Blancos de Querétaro 3: This one was a wild one almost from the start. Both teams had good chances early, with goalkeeper Ana Gaby Paz making a fantastic save on a shot from Mayra Santana in the 15th minute. Querétaro would break the deadlock in the 24th when Sofia Alvarez hit a world class right footed volley on a pass over her shoulder. Alison González equalized for Atlas in the 35th when she made a run down the left wing and shot past Diana García for her first goal of the match. She’d get her second just after the start of the second half when she sprinted down the middle of the field drifting left and hit a left footed shot that tucked inside of the far post. Mayra Santana equalized a minute later when she drew Paz way off of her line and hit a shot past her. Santana got her brace ten minutes later when she headed a great cross from Karym Iturbe past Paz. Atlas put themselves back level in the 68th when Paola Garcia hit an absolutely fantastic shot off of the underside of the crossbar and the far post before going in. Atlas almost won it at the death but one last save from García preserved the draw.

Tigres UANL 4, Santos Laguna 1: After starting late due to COVID-19, Santos has had to play two of the best teams in the league in back-to-back weeks. This week it was a 4-1 loss in Monterrey against Tigres, who keep their dominant form alive. Santos actually looked good in the early part of the match, none better than when Wendy Toledo stopped a penalty from Stefany Mayor in the 4th minute. The dam broke however in the 10th minute when Jackie Ovalle found a wide open Katty Martínez in front of the goal. Martínez redirected the ball on goal and Dani Delgado slid to try and stop the shot, but unfortunately wound up deflecting it in for an autogol. Not to be denied, Martínez headed a corner kick past Toledo in the 16th and then got a second seven minutes later when Ovalle crossed the ball into the box. Mayor either dummied the ball or got a slight flick on to the ball and it fell to the feet of “Katty Killer”, who lived up to her nickname. Ovalle would get her third of the season when she made a brilliant move down the left side of the box and hit an impossibly tight-angled shot past Toledo in the 41st minute. Santos finally pulled one back in the 87th when Alexia Villanueva and Olga Trasviña played a nice give-and-go and Villanueva hit a fading shot that Vania Villalobos got a hand to but ultimately couldn’t stop.

Club Atlético de San Luis 3, Puebla F.C. 1: A good win for San Luis, downing Puebla 3-1. It was the first time goalkeeper Cintia Monreal hadn’t started a game for San Luis, and former Club América goalkeeper Heidi González made the most of the opportunity. A poor back pass in the 15th minute allowed Atleti’s Isabel Kasis a free long range shot and she put it up and over a diving Brissa Rangel. Kenya García doubled the lead in the 52nd minute when she was able to get her head to an in-swinging corner kick. Puebla drew one back in the 69th when a foul in the box lead to María López converting from the spot. But Atleti was too much, and Kasis got her second of the game when Rangel came way off of her line to try and clear a ball but Kasis got to it and calmly rolled it into the back of the net.

FC Juárez 0, UNAM Pumas 3: A good solid win for Pumas, who may be poised to have a breakthrough season. Inability by Juárez to clear the ball in the 20th minute lead to Daniela García heading the ball past Alondra Ubaldo to give Pumas the lead. In the 35th minute, Alexandra Aguilar got tangled up with Jaquelín García in the box, and referee Katia García awarded Pumas a penalty. Jaquelín García converted the penalty, and the visitors were up 2-0. A second penalty was awarded in the 62nd minute when Emili Bautista ran into Jaquelín García in the box and knocked her down. This time however Natalia Macías Valadez took the penalty (Jaquelín García hit her head pretty hard on the turf) and her shot went over the bar. Juárez weren’t able to capitalize on this gift however and in the 83rd Pumas would score again, this time on a Anisa Guajardo shot from distance.

Pachuca 0, Cruz Azul 0: All even at Estadio Hidalgo as Pachuca and Cruz Azul end in a 0-0 draw. Pachuca goalkeeper Silvia Machuca and Cruz Azul goalkeeper Karla Morales each get their second shutout of the seasons as their respective defenses played solid games to remain in the top eight.

Monterrey 4, León 1: While León may be a dark horse to make the Liguilla and cause some upsets, they still have a ways to go as evidenced by the 4-1 thrashing they received at the hands of Rayadas. Daniela Solís got the scoring started for the hosts in the 10th minute on a header from a corner kick, and Rayadas doubled the lead just seven minutes later when Mónica Flores played a brilliant ball in to Christina Burkenroad and she was able to head it past María Martínez. In the 32nd minute, Desirée Monsiváis scored a brilliant goal, making a couple of deft touches to go around the León defenders, draw Martínez off of her line, and simply go around her to score. After the start of the second half, León grabbed one back when Joseline De La Rosa got in front of a clearance and hit it forward to Lucero Cuevas. Cuevas chested the ball down and fired one past Claudia Lozoya to make it 3-1 with a lot of soccer left to play. But “Messi” Monsiváis made another highlight reel goal, getting a seemingly innocuous pass, cutting past a couple of defenders, drawing Martínez out and going around her again while shepherding the ball into the back of the net.

Club Tijuana 1, América 2: A fairly even match throughout. Both teams had some fairly decent opportunities in the first half, but goalkeepers Itzel González for Tijuana and Jaidy Gutiérrez for América kept clean sheets through the break. In the second half, América adjusted and would reap the benefits. In the 54th minute, Dani Espinosa would break the deadlock when she got her head onto a great cross from Montserrat Hernández. Espinosa would get a second just four minutes later when she converted a penalty. Xolos didn’t give up and deep in stoppage time Sheila Pulido was able to draw one back on a strike from close range but the whistle blew shortly after play was restarted.

Next week:

Wednesday, September 2:

UNAM Pumas (1W 1D 0L) vs. Santos Laguna (0W 0D 2L) - 12:55 PM Eastern / 9:55 AM Pacific (TUDN)

Thursday, September 3:

América (3W 0D 0L) vs. Necaxa (0W 0D 3L) - 4:55 PM Eastern / 1:55 PM Pacific (TUDN)

Friday, September 4:

Cruz Azul (1W 1D 1L) vs. Monterrey (3W 0D 0L) - 4:55 PM Eastern / 1:55 PM Pacific (TUDN)

Saturday, September 5:

Gallos Blancos de Querétaro (0W 2D 1L) vs. UNAM Pumas (1W 1D 0L)

Sunday, September 6:

Tigres UANL (3W 0D 0L) vs. Club Tijuana (0W 0D 3L)

Puebla F.C. (1W 0D 2L) vs. Toluca (0W 1D 2L)

Club Atlético de San Luis (2W 0D 1L) vs. Pachuca (2W 1D 0L)

Monday, September 7:

Guadalajara (3W 0D 0L) vs. Mazatlán FC (1W 0D 2L) - 7:53 PM Eastern / 4:53 PM Pacific (Telemundo Deportes App)

León (1W 0D 2L) vs. FC Juárez (0W 1D 2L)

Santos Laguna (0W 0D 2L) vs. Atlas (1W 1D 1L)