MIAMI, Florida – After several weeks into this year's competitions, the professional teams from Mexico and Costa Rica are leaving everything on the field, as they know each minute and every point counts.
The Liga MX Femenil saw some surprises this week, as some teams won for the first time this season, while the top teams are securing their positions to advance into the Liguilla.
Club Leon got their second victory in this Clausura 2023 by downing FC Juarez 1-0 on Monday evening. In the 33’, Argentina international Mariana Larroquette got the ball close to the area, found a spot and scored for her team, giving them their second three points in this Clausura 2023.
Necaxa clinched their first three points of the tournament on Monday evening after winning 1-0 over Cruz Azul. The goal came from a header in the 37’ from Samantha Calvillo, who was playing her 100th game in the Liga MX Femenil.
Another first happened in the north of the country when Tijuana beat Tigres, the current champions, 2-0 on Friday evening. Las Perrisimas had the services of Renae Cuellar, who scored the first goal in the 38’. Later on, in the 66’, Dulce Alvarado closed the game with a header after the Tigres defense lost the ball. This is the first time Tijuana have beaten the four-time champions.
The Torneo de Apertura 2023 in Costa Rica is taking full force. With six weeks in, the games are getting tougher.
The Clasico took place on Tuesday evening. As LD Alajuelense welcomed Saprissa FF, with the visitors taking the match 2-1. As always, a Clasico is never easy, and both teams knew what it meant. Gloria Villamayor scored first for Las Moradas in the 12’ with a header. They didn’t stop their hunt for more goals and in the 52’ Cata Estrada doubled the margin for the league leaders.
Las Leonas didn’t lose their spirits though and in the 73’ Mariela Campos scored a free kick that would close the gap. In the end, though, Saprissa won the match to remain atop the table, whereas LD Alajuelense are behind in second place on a five-point difference.
Municipal Perez Zeledon are putting in the work to keep going up the table, and they did show their desire to qualify for the playoffs later this season by defeating COFUTPA USJ on Saturday evening. Adriana Cambronero struck first for her team in the 16’, and then doing so again in the second half in the 53’. Those two goals sandwiched a score from Tiffany Rivera in the 37’. With this, Perez Zeledon went back home sitting in sixth place, while the new team in the first division of Costa Rica has yet to see victory this season.
Sporting FC visited Dimas Escazu on Friday evening to keep their mission going to be one of the teams at the top. And they delivered, topping the hosts 3-0. The goals came early, as Costa Rica legend Cristin Granados scored the first one in the 10’, giving her team even more energy.
They kept moving the ball and creating chances, and it paid off. In the 23’, Lourdes Viana put the second one in the back of the net and then scored the third in the 52’. Sporting FC are now on 11 points, sitting in third place, with Dimas Escazu just behind them, both in Playoffs position.
