Rayadas, Dimas Escazu rise to top in Mexico and Costa Rica

MIAMI — Every week is a great opportunity for teams to show new ideas on the pitch. The teams of the professional leagues across Concacaf don’t take this chance for granted, proving that they work to reach their goals every single day. 

La Liga MX Femenil in Mexico is going full force, with some teams giving their fans surprises, while others are taking care of those 90-plus minutes in playing with everything they have.

On Saturday afternoon, Monterrey won their fourth consecutive game of the season against Club Leon, downing La Fiera 1-0 in a thrilling match in Leon. The only goal of the day for Rayadas was the result of a team effort, with a great finish from Daniela Solis, who was in the area and sent the ball into the back of the net in the 26’, scoring her third goal of the season. With this win, Monterrey travel back home as leaders of the Torneo Clausura 2023.

Tijuana managed to get their first win of the season against Puebla on Sunday evening, defeating the visitors 4-1. The goals came early for the northern team, with Daniela Espinosa scoring the first one in the 2’ by turning in a cross from the right flank. Captain Renae Cuellar scored the second in the 30’, using a right-footed finish to double the lead, 2-0.

The second half proved to be an interesting one, with Puebla pulling one back in the 63’ thanks to a free kick outside the area from Rebeca Villuendas. But Tijuana didn’t back down and in the 77’ and 89’ Cuellar showed up again to restore the two-goal lead and then extend it to three, helping her team secure the three points.

Guadalajara managed to break the good run of FC Juarez, edging them 2-1 on Monday evening. Casandra Montero opened up the scoring for Las Chivas with a header in the 45’. At the start of the second half, Chivas extended their lead with a goal from Adriana Iturbide in the 56’, the 50th profesional goal for Iturbide. Juarez did find the scoresheet, though, via a penalty conversión from Blanca Solis in the 85’.

Football is back in Costa Rica as the Torneo de Apertura 2023 started on Friday.

Dimas Escazu holds the top position in the table after week one after beating Municipal Pococi 4-0 on Friday evening. The current leaders started the tournament strong, scoring their first goal in the 12’ thanks to Maria Fernanda Figueroa. Just six minutes later, in the 18’, they were celebrating their second one after Yoanka Villanueva put the ball in the net, doing so again in the 27’ to put her team three goals up. In the 48’, a penalty kick was called, and the always-ready Maria Harly didn’t miss, scoring the fourth and final goal of the night.

On Friday evening, LD Alajuelense and Sporting FC, current champions and runners-up of the last tournament, faced each other in the first week in a rematch of their dramatic final. The first goal of the tournament came early on, in the 2’, on an own goal from Alajuelense’s Gabriela Guillen. Just a few minutes later though, in the 11’, Syanif Aguero scored the only goal for the defending title-holders to even things out in a 1-1 final.

Cofutpa FC, after winning the second division championship, became the new team of the first division of Costa Rica. Their first top-flight match was against CS Herediano, who showed their experience in these types of games in a 2-0 win. The first goal arrived in the 22’ from the boots of Luciana Gonzalez, giving her team the early advantage. CS Herediano didn’t stop pushing, getting their reward in the 90+8’ through Michelle Montero.