Liga MX Femenil recap: 2022 Clausura, Week ?

While not technically a week, the international break was used by Liga MX Femenil to make up a lot of the games postponed in the wake of the Querétaro riots. Six matches were played during the off week, and only one is left to make up with Tigres hosting Querétaro on Thusday of this week. This will all help the playoff picture come sharper into focus heading into the final two weeks of the season.

Guadalajara 0, FC Juárez 0: Perhaps a bit of a trap game for Chivas, and they were missing several key players who were out with both the senior and U20 national teams. Juárez meanwhile has struggled this season and could take this one as a moral victory (if they believe in such things). Both Blanca Félix, who got the start for Celeste Espino who was with the Mexican U20 team, and Christina Holguin both had good games in goal. Holguin made the game’s first save in the 12th minute when she made a save on a Yashira Barrientos shot from the top of the box. Félix then made a nice kick save at the other end on a Miah Zuazua shot after a nice build-up play from Juárez. It was Holguin’s turn in the 32nd to come up big, making another stop on a long range shot, this time from Paloma Magallanes. At the start of the second half, Silvia Elicerio was able to get to a ball over the top and get a shot on goal, but Félix did well to smother the shot. In the 52nd, Rubí Soto got a header on an incredible cross into the box, but it just skimmed the top of the bar. There was controversy in the 63rd minute when a Lia Romero cross was blocked in the box by Karla Zempoalteca. Replays show that it could have been called a handball, but without the luxury of a VAR review the call was not made and play continued. In the third minute of stoppage, Soto hit a header that went off of the post and out. Félix earned her eighth shutout in nine appearances this season, while Holguin earned her second in ten appearances.

Santos Laguna 0, América 3: Santos were missing several key starters with the México U20s, including midfielder Dani Delgado and forwards Alexxandra Ramírez and Alexia Villanueva as América won 3-0 in Torreón. América had the first good chance of the match before the first minute of play had elapsed, with Scarlett Camberos getting a shot from close range that was parried by Paola Calderón before being cleared out of danger by Lucy Lara. In the 15th minute, a Santos free kick went straight into the hands of Renata Masciarelli for the easy stop. In the 28th Camberos was played in over the top and in the process of going for the ball drew contact from Lourdes De León however despite Camberos’ protestations no call came. In the 34th, a defensive breakdown by Santos lead to Kiana Palacios shooting the ball straight into Karyme Martínez, who handled the ball. Karen Luna converted the penalty to give América the lead. In the 40th minute Mariela Jiménez hit a shot from distance that Masciarelli stopped. In the 47th a turnover at midfield lead to a nice run and finish by Camberos for her eighth goal of the season. Cinthya Peraza had a great attempt on a free kick in the 50th minute, but Masciarelli tipped it up and over the bar. Things went from bad to worse for Santos, who saw Martínez pick up a second yellow card for a hard foul on Dani Espinosa. Calderón made a magnificent save on the ensuing free kick from long range to keep Santos in it, but the offense just couldn’t come through despite a couple of good chances down the stretch. Sarah Luebbert added an insurance goal in the 87th, beating the offside trap and knocking one in off of the far post.

Gallos Blancos de Querétaro 1, Atlas 3: This game signified much more than just a match, as it was the first time any Querétaro team faced any Atlas team since the horrific riots back on March 5. Adriana “Boyi” Iturbide had a hat trick, with a nice volley in the 36th to start things off. Just before half time she notched her second with a shot from distance that Vanessa Córdoba partially stopped but rolled in over the line. She rounded it out in the 58th minute with a shot through traffic for her eighth goal of the season. Querétaro had realistic shouts for a penalty in the 64th when Jaquelín García went in on goal and was run into by goalkeeper Itzel Velasco, but no call was made. Querétaro drew one back in the 79th minute on a nice build-up that was finished well by Mariana Díaz Leal. Velasco made a nice diving save in the early moments of stoppage as Atlas move ever closer to clinching a spot in the Liguilla.

Other games:

León 1, UNAM Pumas 6

Club Atlético de San Luis 3, Puebla F.C. 1

Toluca 3, Cruz Azul 1

---

Sub 17 results

Week 14

UNAM Pumas 3, Gallos Blancos de Querétaro 0

Toluca 3, FC Juárez 2

León 0, Atlas 1

Club Atlético de San Luis 3, Club Tijuana 2

Monterrey 2, Tigres UANL 2

Mazatlán FC 0, Guadalajara 3

América 3, Cruz Azul 1

---

Notes and other things

México, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panamá, Haïti, and Trinidad and Tobago all qualified from the Concacaf W Qualification. and will join Canada and the reigning World Cup champions in the Concacaf W Championships. The drawing will be held on April 19.

---

Jana Gutiérrez sat down with Ameé Ruszkai to talk about her NXGN award.

---

Pachuca Femenil has announced the hiring of Juan Carlos Cacho as their new head coach. Cacho was previously the manager of Puebla, compiling a record of 5-3-8 during the 2021 Apertura.

---

Belén Aquino scored six goals in Uruguay U20s 13-0 win over Bolivia in the Conmebol Sub-20 Femenina tournament.

---

Ghanaian side FC Savannah was traveling to an away game against Dreamz Ladies Football Club when their bus was attacked by robbers. Fortunately no one was seriously injured, and only one official sustained injuries.

---

Ada Hegerberg returned to international competition after a five year hiatus with the Norwegian National Team. In her first match back, she scored a hat trick against Kosovo in a 5-1 win.

---

Bend It Like Beckham turned 20, and my friend Shireen Ahmed wrote a wonderful column for the CBC on it and what it means to a generation of women from all sorts of different intersectionalities.

If you have something that should be included in this segment, please reach out to me via twitter or email me at golazodelgringo@gmail.com

---

Next week (all records are in W-D-L format, all times as listed):

Thursday, April 14:

Tigres UANL (10-3-0) vs. Gallos Blancos de Querétaro (4-2-7) - 9:00 PM - TUDN (Mexico), ViX

Saturday, April 16:

Toluca U17 (8-1-4) vs. América U17 (10-2-0) - 12:00 PM

Cruz Azul (4-3-7) vs. Monterrey (13-0-1) - 12:00 PM - TUDN (Mexico), ViX

Atlas U17 (6-3-3) vs. Mazatlán U17 (3-2-8) - 3:45 PM

Gallos Blancos de Querétaro U17 (4-1-8) vs. Necaxa U17 (2-5-5) - 3:45 PM

Guadalajara U17 (6-3-3) vs. Monterrey U17 (3-4-6) - 3:45 PM

Club Atlético de San Luis (3-5-6) vs. León (3-3-8) - 5:00 PM - ESPN (Mexico)

Sunday, April 17:

Club Atlético de San Luis U17 (3-3-6) vs. León U17 (6-2-4) - 10:00 AM

Cruz Azul U17 (4-1-8) vs. UNAM Pumas U17 (4-4-4) - 11:00 AM

Club Tijuana U17 (5-1-6) vs. Santos Laguna U17 (6-3-3) - 12:00 PM

Puebla F.C. (3-3-8) vs. Necaxa (2-5-7) - 12:00 PM - TVC Deportes (Mexico)

FC Juárez U17 (1-4-7) vs. Puebla F.C. U17 (4-2-6) - 1:45 PM

FC Juárez (2-2-10) vs. Gallos Blancos de Querétaro - 6:00 PM - TUDN (Mexico), ViX

Monday, April 18:

Toluca (4-4-6) vs. Mazatlán FC (2-4-8) - 5:00 PM - TUDN (Mexico), ViX

Guadalajara (10-4-0) vs. UNAM Pumas (4-4-6) - 5:00 PM - Chivas TV, Telemundo Deportes App (United States)

Pachuca (9-1-4) vs. Atlas (6-5-3) - 7:00 PM - FOX Sports (Mexico)

Tigres UANL vs. Santos Laguna (3-2-9) - 7:00 PM - TUDN (Mexico), ViX

Club Tijuana (3-8-3) vs. América (10-2-2) - 9:00 PM - FOX Sports (Mexico)