El Clásico Femenil: A game for the ages
For the first time in history, an El Clásico De México Femenil match between Club América and Chivas de Guadalajara was held in the United States at the BMO Stadium.As the two biggest soccer clubs in Mexico, their rivalry goes hand in hand. As the wealthiest and most successful team with 16 Liga MX titles, Club América’s “Ódiame Más” (Hate Me More) motto juxtaposes Chivas’ traditional and good-natured “Equipo Más Mexicano” (Most Mexican Team) motto that has stood for most of their history with 12 Liga MX titles. Chivas stand in second behind their bitter rivals as the most successful club in Mexico.
Since the founding of Liga MX Femenil in 2016 and its inaugural 2017 season, América and Chivas have both won two titles each, tightening their already fierce rivalry.
It was no surprise that this matchup would be an intense one. Before the game began, there was a fan event outside where live music was played, food was available to eat and fans could take photos with the Liga MX Trophy. To everyone’s surprise, fans were also treated with a show from the Chilean soccer content creator with over two million followers across all platforms, Cata Vega, who showed off her freestyling skills.
After Vega’s performance, she took photos with fans and spoke about the importance of El Super Clasico being played here in the U.S. “(It’s) awesome because … (women's) football is growing … So I think it's very important to feel (at) home. And also here (in the) U.S., the women's team is amazing. So to have … the clásico from Mexico to here, that … is awesome. I hope more games … (are played here in the U.S.),” she said. Her final prediction of the game was 2-0 for América.
The historic match brought the opportunity for many families to bring their daughters and show them that it’s possible for them to become soccer players.
"We're trying to do it for her, … we've been saying, look at what they do. …The girl from Club América who pushes herself every day, …it's an (group) effort, what they do every day so that we can watch that spectacle that we're going to see today,” (translated from Spanish to English) said Luis Arciniega, who brought his wife and daughter to watch the America femenil team play.
"Women's soccer in general … is growing. It's something that's being demonstrated here, right now, with this game. … And that's why today I … bring my daughter and my wife to enjoy it together, as a family." (translated from Spanish to English) Arciniega said.
For Nallely Rosales and her daughter, who are both Chivas fans, it allows Rosales to show her daughter what’s achievable for her.
“It's for my daughter that … if she wants to be a soccer player, she can be a soccer player, even though she's a girl. … So she can see that there's professional ladies doing what she loves to do,” Rosales said.
As the women’s game grows more in the U.S. and the world, these matches allow many to see their favorite team no matter the gender. Noe De Santiago, a Chivas fan, shared that the reason why he came to the match was to support his club.
“I think it's very important, just almost equally as important as the men because … whoever puts on the (Chivas) shirt and goes out on the field represents the club. … It's very important,” Santiago said.
Leading up to the matchup, the Liga MX Femenil playoffs wrapped up as Chivas and América faced off against each other in a two-legged semi-final. América defeated Chivas after beating them 4-2 on aggregate. América moved to the finals but eventually lost to the winners, Pachuca, 3-2.
Although it was a friendly match, it was very heated as players argued and complained over foul calls given to the opposing team.
Before the match began, everyone in the stadium rose for the U.S. national anthem performed by Alessandra Gutierrez. As the anthem came to a close with cheers from the crowd.
The players came out of the tunnel, lining up onto the field with giant banners of their respective teams behind them. Visible from the field was both the Mexican flag and the U.S. flag on each side.
Once the players lined up, Mariachi star Deyra Barrera, who appeared on Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 GMX album, performed the Mexican national anthem. Cheers were heard after Barreras’ performance, and as she finished the lineups for both teams were revealed.
Kickoff began soon after as cheers erupted from the fans around the stadium. The Chivas supporters were heavily outnumbered by América fans, as the ultras for America appeared to be louder and chants were heard all game from their supporters.
Las Rojiblancas started the game with concern early, as forward Gabriela Valenzuela came down with an apparent injury and their medical team had to be deployed to check on Valenzuela. She limped off the field but was able to return back in the game.
Early in the first half, midfielder Natalia Mauleón intercepted a pass with the opportunity to put Las Águilas ahead. As Mauleón ran past the defender, she shot just outside of the box but it was saved by Chivas goalkeeper Celeste Espino for a corner kick.
In the 17th minute of the game, during the corner kick, midfielder Irene Guerrero placed a pass to the box, where the ball fell to Mauleón as she scored, causing Las Águilas to lead 1-0 over Chivas.
The pressure started to set in as both teams had opportunities on the counterattack, but they failed to capitalize until América started putting the intensity on Chivas. In the 34th minute of the game, Águilas defender Sabrina Enciso crossed the ball into the box where Guerrero slipped through two Chivas defenders to slot the ball into the bottom left corner to extend América’s lead, 2-0, as fans exploded in cheers.
Four minutes later, in the 38th minute of the match, midfielder Carolina Jaramillo for Chivas leads the counterattack as she runs past defenders into the box. She crosses the ball near the far post to Valenzuela and she scores the ball near the second post to give Chivas a fighting chance as they trail behind America, 2-1.
Las Rojiblancas kept the competition alive as right before added time, in the 45 minute of the game, Jaramillo passed the ball though the legs of the America defender to forward Viridiana Salazar who’s strike to the bottom left corner tied the game, 2-2. Chivas fans cheered coming back from a two goal deficit.
There’s a lot of meaning behind why these fans support their club. For many, it’s a family thing, and to see the games with their family brings collectiveness.
“The club is something we love since we were kids. … It runs deeper than just a club. … It's a family thing. Our kids … love the club. We love the club. Our parents love the club. It's (a) generational thing, you know. And even if it's (the women’s team), it's a club, it has a huge history, you know,” said Wolfy, a Los Rejas Chivas Ultra supporter who came to watch the game.
In the 45 plus one minute of the game, as Valenzuela went up for the ball, she fell awkwardly on her back and was on the ground for some time. She was stretchered out of the game as applause erupted throughout the stadium in support of her. Valenzuela was subbed off and replaced by forward Montserrat Hernández.
After a few more minutes of time added because of the pause, the first half ended as the game was level 2-2.
The second half started strong for Las Águilas as in the 49 minute Mauleón scored a brace after toe poking the ball into the bottom right corner leading 3-2 to what has already been a goal fest of a game.
It took Chivas 10 minutes to equalize, as in the 59th minute, Salazar ran down the left flank and smashed the ball into the near post to tie the game yet again, 3-3. Excitement arose from the fans as the goals kept on coming.
It would stay at a stalemate for most of the match as both teams failed to find another opportunity to take the lead.
In the 90 plus fifth minute of the match, America had the opportunity to win the match as forward Priscila Flor da Silva managed to be one on one against the goalkeeper, but Chivas defender Damaris Godinez came out of nowhere to foul Priscila outside the box. The foul stopped a clear goal-scoring opportunity, so the referee had no choice but to hand Godinez a red card. A small scuffle erupted between the teams, but they were able to get it together on what was the final play of the match.
The ball was set, and América’s Montserrat Saldívar stepped up to take the free kick. In front of the cheering fans and with this being potentially the winning goal, Saldívar kicked the ball to the top right corner, where the goalkeeper had no chance of saving it as Las Águilas won the game, 4-3, with no time left to play.
The crowd erupted as América won it for their fans. As the final whistle blew, Las Águilas celebrated their victory with those who came to watch them, and for the fans, they claimed bragging rights after the game.
“[It] was a great match. (It) was tough, but the good thing (was that América)won,” said Vega after watching the match, adding her reaction to the freekick, “I screamed a lot. … (It) was a perfect (shot).”
Vega would love to see more games come to LA, as fans seemed to enjoy El Clásico.
It was a tough battle for both teams as they couldn’t stop scoring, but the challenges helped each individual player stand out more for those who rose to the occasion.
“Well, in the end, it was a tough final. We gave it our all. We knew we had a chance there, but we're working hard. In the end, we have to turn the page quickly, and what better way than with this match,” (translated from Spanish to English) said Mauleón to the media during the post game press conference.
Both teams looking for positives, Chivas dispute the loss reflected on the match with optimism rather than disappointment.
“We always have our minds set on winning. It helps us a lot to see mistakes we can improve, like you said. But, well, we're all about enjoying football, enjoying this match, which was very beautiful, and nothing else,” said Chivas midfielder Joselyn De La Rosa to the media.“The truth is that the rivalry was very beautiful. We believe that both teams came here to put on a good match. Regardless of the result, I think that's not what we came here for. América and Chivas, we came here for that, for the people to have fun, for the people to get hooked on us, … and enjoy the match.” (translated from Spanish to English)