MIAMI, Florida – The last minutes of the regular season can be some of the most thrilling in the whole competition, as was the case this past weekend in the last week of the regular season of the Liga MX Femenil.
This past weekend decided the eight teams that will go on and play the Liguilla to see who becomes champion of this Clausura 2023.
FC Juarez has been one of the teams to look out for this season, recovering from a rocky season start to down 2-0 Puebla on Friday evening to qualify for the Liguilla for the first time.
They took a 1-0 lead in the 4’ when Andrea Hernandez scored after the Puebla GK could not hold onto the ball in the area. They then tacked on their second goal in the 15’, via free kick, an opportunity that Andrea Maria Sanchez wasn’t going to pass up, scoring from outside the area to seal the pass to the ‘big party’ of Mexican women's football.
Club Tijuana have been giving their fans some emotional moments, and this one really set the bar high, as they beat former table leaders Guadalajara, earning the last ticket to the Liguilla. The only goal of the night arrived in the final minutes of the match, in the 90 '+1, when Daniela Espinosa controlled a long pass and scored, giving Tijuana the last spot into the next stage of the tournament.
The NWSL is seven weeks in and there is nothing set in stone for the teams that are looking to get to the Playoffs and become League Champions.
After last week’s last-minute defeat, the San Diego Wave bounced back on Sunday afternoon by defeating the Kansas City Current 2-0.
The first goal came in the 26’ when captain and USWNT legend Alex Morgan fired a shot that hit the post, but then bounced off the back of Current GK Adrianna Franch, resulting in an own goal. In the 44’, Belle Briede doubled the advantage, scoring from inside the area to nail down San Diego’s victory.
On Friday evening, the Houston Dash ended the Portland Thorns’ six-game unbeaten run with a comeback 2-1 win. The current Shield holders scored first in the 34’ through Costa Rica international Raquel ‘Rocky’ Rodriguez when she received the ball in the area and fired past Houston GK Jane Campbell.
The Dash comeback was led by Joelle Anderson when she turned in a shot in the 59’ off an initial block from Portland GK Bella Bixby. The second goal came in the 71’ from the boots of Ebony Salmon after she got past the defensive line with a brilliant turn and slotted home for the winning goal.
Movement at the 🔝 pic.twitter.com/UBkpkAeRX2
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 15, 2023
After 14 weeks, the regular season of the Apertura 2023 of the professional league in Costa Rica has come to an end, with the match-ups now known for the Semifinals.
Saprissa FF closed their regular season in second place after a 2-2 tie against Municipal Pococi on Sunday afternoon. The game started as fans were expecting it, with Mariela Campos opening up the scoring in the 13’. However, Las Moradas were shaken just 10 minutes later, in the 23’, when Gipsy Prieto pulled one back for the locals.
Catalina Estrada put her team back in front after scoring the second goal for the visitors in the 47’. But Municipal Pococi wasn’t just done, with Prieto scoring her second goal of the day, one that earned the draw for her team.
CS Herediano saw defeat on Monday afternoon at the hands of Dimas Escazu in a 2-0 final. The goals didn’t come until the second half of the match, in the 47’, when Hilary Corrales gave her team the first goal of the day. The visitors tried to pull one back, but it was Dimas Escazu who scored next. This time, Fernanda Figueroa was the one who sealed the game, as she scored the second and final goal in the 54’.
The Playoffs will see Alajuelense meet Municipal Pococi, while Saprissa will face Sporting FC.
