Players didn’t have much time to rest after the All-Star Game, as all week 8 matches concluded on Thursday and now week 9 starts Friday.
Liga MX Femenil vs Barcelona Femení
The most anticipated game between the best of Mexico against one of the best teams in Europe happened last Friday and it had absolutely everything.
For starters, there was a weather delay of two hours that was announced right before kick-off. Despite the delay, the game ended up being played and finished 2-2. Pumas’ Stephanie Ribeiro and Club América’s Irene Guerrero
were the goal scorers on the Mexican side, while Deneisha Blackwood scored an own goal and then Aitana Bonmatí scored for Barcelona.
The game went to PKs to decide the winner and, at the end of the day, Barcelona were the better side (4-3).
Besides the soccer, there was a scary moment in the 13th minute, when Mapi León unintentionally injured Tuzas’ Charlyn Corral and she had to leave the field to be taken to the hospital. However, in a sign of good sportwomanship, León apologized to Corral while on the field and in a press conference that happened on Thursday, Corral spoke about the Spaniard calling her after the injury happened.
“When I was in the hospital, Mapi did write to me on my social media. The next day, after the surgery, she called me on my cell phone. I told her not to worry. These are things you never expect; mishaps happen in sports,” she said.
This game also served as Jacqui Ovalle’s farewell game. She left the field in the 53rd minute while people showered her with applause.
Club América vs Barcelona Femení
Two days after the All-Star Game was played, the European team tour continued in Coapa where they faced Club América.
It was a good test for both teams. Barcelona got the job done and secured their second victory on Mexican soil.
Claudia Pina opened the score in the first half and Salma Paralluelo doubled the lead in the second half. However, América didn’t go down without a fight and Scarlett Camberos tallied her goal with only 10 minutes to go.
Cruz Azul finishes Toluca’s unbeaten streak
The fact that Diablas de Toluca is one of the best teams this season is undeniable. Ever since coach Patrice Lair took over and they added Eugénie Le Sommer to the roster, the team has reached new heights. They were unbeaten in seven games but Cruz Azul put an end to that streak on Tuesday.
In the 19’ Victoria López opened the score for Cruz Azul with an own goal. However, Eugénie Le Sommer responded with a brace but Daniela Calderón evened things up for the hosts before half-time.
The French goalscorer was on fire that game and right after the second half resumed, she upgraded to a hat-trick. Nonetheless, Aerial Chavarin found the equalizer in the 80’ and then scored doubled it to a brace 10 minutes after that for the game-winner.
With the two goals scored by Chavarin, she equaled Liga MX Femenil’s top goalscorer, Charlyn Corral, who has nine goals so far. Let’s remember she didn’t play in week 8 since she was recovering from the injury that she suffered in the All-Star Game last Friday.
Elsewhere in the league…
Chivas de Guadalajara hosted Rayadas de Monterrey and even though Rayadas put themselves ahead pretty early, in the 7th minute, they let the result slip away. It was the 87th minute, when Adriana “Boyi” Iturbide found the equalizer.
“We had a very good first half, and I feel like we should have gone with a bigger score, but that’s not deserved; it’s what we did, and we didn’t do it. It hurts because it could have been different, coming here to take control, controlling the game, I’ll give it to you,” said Monterrey’s coach, Amelia Valverde, after the game.
The league’s second-place team, Tigres, had a goal fest against Gallos de Querétaro this week. They put seven unanswered goals on them despite playing on their field. It is important to mention that former Houston Dash’s Barbara Olivieri registered an assist in this game.
So… no Ovalle, no problem in the final third for Tigres?
And speaking of scoring machines, we already mentioned Eugénie Le Sommer scored a hat-trick in the loss Toluca suffered this week. However, by doing so, she made history in Liga MX Femenil as only the third foreign player in the league to score a hat-trick after American Stephanie Ribeiro and Costa Rican María Paula Salas.
Last but not least, Pachuca won again despite the absence of its goalscorer, Charlyn Corral, and climbed to the 3rd position in the table. The club is two points shy of Tigres and seven of América.
This is the table before week 9:
