Since their re-ascension into the Liga MX first division in 2012, Club Leon F.C. have demonstrated dominance and proven that they belong in the highest level of competition that Mexico has to offer. This season, however, has proved to be one of the most unusual so far for Leon who struggle week in and week out to accumulate points. Leon currently sit in 17th place on the league table.
Club Queretaro find themselves in a very similar position. The current team of former Barcelona star and Brazilian success, Ronaldinho, has only accumulated fourteen points and currently sit in 15th place on the league table.
On match day 12, Leon and Queretaro were set to fight for their points and the opportunity to begin a climb up the league table. With both teams hungry to earn some points, the match showed potential to be a heated two sided battle but nobody could have predicted what these two teams would actually deliver.
The action in the match started early. The match was only four minutes in when Elias Hernandez took advantage of a foul by Queretaro. The Leon midfielder stood about 25 yards out in the Queretaro half when he prepared himself to take the free kick. The rest of the Leon players set themselves up to prepare for a set piece but Hernandez put his shot around the wall and beat Queretaro keeper Tiago Volpi at his right post.
It took 24 minutes after the first goal for Queretaro to respond. Their goal came from a spectacular finish by Emmanuel Villa. Villa received the ball from Orbelin Pineda just outside the center of the Leon 18 yard box. Villa pushed toward his right side and past Leon defender Ignacio Canuto. He then went one on one versus goalkeeper William Yarbrough and Villa simply placed a low powerful shot that went past Yarbrough at the center of the goal.
The next goal was the result of a play by Ronaldinho and Yasser Corona and came just before the half. One of the benefits of having a player like Ronaldinho as part of the squad is the finesse associated with his precise passes. Ronaldinho took a free kick from about 30 yards out that found Corona at the first post. Corona lobbed the ball into the upper right hand corner of the goal with a well placed headed ball, putting Queretaro up 2 – 1.
In the 53rd minute, Leon were were awarded a penalty. Miguel Sabah stepped up to take the penalty and placed his shot to the bottom left hand side of the goal. Volpi dove early but guessed the direction incorrectly and went the opposite way. The match was now tied at 2 – 2.
Just two minutes later, Queretaro would get ahead once more. William Da Silva sped past Leon defenders at the left side of the field. Just before reaching the touch line he placed a low cross that Pineda met at the edge of the six yard box. Pineda tapped the ball and placed it past Yarbrough at the right side of the goal.
Leon would not give up and at the 82nd minute was able to equalize. Leon seemed to pay close attention the goal they had just conceded. Their equalizer came from an almost identical play to Da Silva’s. A lobbed ball down the left side was met by Leon left back Edwin Hernandez who also took the ball near the touch line and crossed the ball in. The major difference was that Hernandez’s cross was in the air and Gonzalo Rios was able to simply jump into the air and nudge the ball in with his head.
Queretaro’s fourth goal was netted by Angel Sepulveda in the 86th minute. Mario Osuna held the ball outside of the Leon 18 yard box well until he saw Sepulveda making a run inside. Osuna lobbed a through ball in over the Leon defenders that Sepulveda headed and lobbed over Yarbrough who was off his line.
The goal that turned out to be the decisive one in the match came from a spectacular diving header by Emmanuel Villa. After a series of passes in the Leon 18 yard box, Angel Baltazar was finally able to cross the ball from the right side of the field. Villa managed to sneak past the Leon defensive line and head the ball into the net at the bottom left hand post to put “Los Gallos” up 5 -3.
Leon went out fighting to the very end. In the 92nd minute Elias Hernandez crossed the ball into the area between the penalty spot and the six yard box from a corner kick. Gonzalo Rios beat his mark in the air and headed the ball past Volpi at the bottom left hand side of the goal. Although this was the fourth goal for Leon, it was not enough to beat Queretaro.
Nobody expected that these two teams would produce the highest scoring game of the weekend. Both of these teams, who struggle to find their form, put on a festival of goals and left many fans both disappointed and satisfied. Even in other leagues in the world, a 5 -4 scoreboard is rare. Will either team be able to pick themselves up from this slump? It is up to the players to decide.
Watch the all of the goals below: