MIAMI. - The professional women’s leagues across Concacaf are reaching their most important stage, with some clubs focusing on what comes next to reach the most important match of the year.
Following an international break, players across the NWSL returned to league play as the season enters its fourth month of action.
On Saturday evening, a new NWSL record 35,038 fans gathered at the historic Wrigley Field to witness the Chicago Red Stars go head-to-head against Bay FC. The visitors took the victory with goals in the 25’ from Kiki Pickett and in the 79’ from Joelle Anderson. The home side prevented the shutout in the 93’ as Penelope Hocking struck in the box to connect with a long cross.
With the win, Bay FC left Wrigley Field with three points, moving up to 10th place in the table. The Chicago Red Stars sit in sixth place, keeping pace in the race for the playoffs.
Liga Femenina de Costa Rica
The Apertura 2024 in Costa Rica now knows the four teams playing in the semifinals to crown this year's champion.
The defending Champions, LD Alajuelense, who also sits at the top of the table, qualified after 13 weeks of leading the Apertura, amounting 36 points. LD Alajuelense is also among the teams participating in the first edition of the Concacaf W Champions Cup, which will start the group stage in August.
Dimas Escazu was the second team to qualify for the next round, winning 2-nil in their last game against Guerreros del Sur on Friday evening. Maria Julia Garcia started the goal count in the first half, in the 30’, closely followed by teammate Katrina Wetherell, who scored just six minutes after, in the 36’, to secure a spot in the semifinals.
The third team to clinch their spot was Deportivo Saprissa, who managed to get a much-needed 2-0 win on Friday evening, adding three points to settle into the fourth position of the table. After a hard-fought match, Las Moradas scored their first goal late in the last minutes of the match, in the 82’, thanks to the services of Maria Paula Elizondo. They took full advantage of the time remaining to get the job done, as in the 86’ Raquel Chacon found the back of the net, helping her team continue their quest to become champions.
The current runner-up, Sporting FC, clinched the final spot with a 2-nil win over Municipal Pococi on Wednesday evening. Goals from Diana Saenz in the 52’ and Jimena Gonzalez in the 87’ secured third place in the table and earned the team a new opportunity to challenge for the league title in Costa Rica.
