Mexico

Monterrey Femenil claimed the 2019 Liga MX Femenil Apertura title with a 2-1 aggregate win over UANL in front of 38,251 fans on Saturday. Las Rayadas had lost in the 2018 and 2019 Clausura finals before finally earning their first-ever title.

But the celebrations were dulled this week when it became apparent Monterrey would only reward players with iPads instead of a verbally promised financial bonus. Last I checked, you can’t pay rent with a tablet.

In what can only be classified as a fitting finale in the storybook of U.S. soccer, the USWNT defeated Mexico 3-0 in the nation’s final match of the Send-Off Series. Tobin Heath, Mal Pugh and Christen Press were on the scoresheet for the U.S., putting the finishing touches on a series of friendly matches in which the defending world champions outscored three opponents by a total score of 11-0.  

Clàudia Pina was the best player at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. She made sure she played for the best team with a sublime performance in the final against Mexico.

Pina scored twice in the opening 26 minutes to propel Spain to a 2-1 win over Mexico in the U-17 Women’s World Cup final on Saturday in Montevideo, Uruguay.

¡¡¡SOMOS CAMPEONAS DEL MUNDO!!!  ¡¡¡SIIIIIIIIII!!! ¡¡¡VAMOSSSSS!!! ¡¡¡SOMOS DE ORO!!! 

While many soccer fans in Mexico will be paying attention to the Liga MX playoffs, which begin Wednesday night, or Tecatito becoming the first Mexican to score in three straight Champions League matches, the biggest news out of Mexican football this week comes not from Mexico or Europe but from Uruguay, where the U-17 Women's World Cup is reaching its climax.

Marbella “Mar” Ibarra, 44, was found wrapped in plastic and beaten to death in Rosarito, south of Tijuana, early Monday morning. Ibarra was a pioneer for the women’s game in Mexico, using the profits from her beauty salon in Tijuana to start amateur club Isamar FC.

For Mexico, how things have played out in the past week of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship has been nothing short of a disaster.

Storms clouds seemed to loom for the team right from the start in its opening Group A match against the U.S. No one really expected the Mexicans to beat the Americans, but they were certainly supposed to give them a game. They couldn’t do that.

The U.S. women’s national team opened World Cup qualifying with a goal in the second minute against Mexico. The USWNT absolutely dominated the rest of the half without finding another goal.

The second half, though, was another story.