Nicolas Castillo PumasRonaldo Schemidt
Jon Arnold

Liga MX Goals of the Week: The best from Jornada 1 of the Clausura

Liga MXClub Universidad NacionalMonterreyLeonSantos LagunaPueblaTolucaCD GuadalajaraNecaxaAtletico MoreliaAtlasQueretaro FCTigresCF AmericaPachucaTijuanaVideoCruz Azul

Henry Martin and Nicolas Castillo both earned their place on Goal's list of the three best goals of the opening round of the tournament

The magic is back with Liga MX returning for another season of action. Each week, Goal will take you through the most magical moments of brilliance in a league that is never at a loss for excellent goals.

Honorable mention this week goes to Santos Laguna attacker Djaniny, whose three goals against Lobos BUAP were all in contention but ultimately missed out on the list. Here's the top three strikes for our money from the opening weekend of the Clausura:

3. Henry Martin (America) - 1-0 vs. Queretaro

Club America spent the majority of the winter trying to bring in attackers to ignite a front line that struggled in the latter stages of the Apertura. French forward Jeremy Menez signed from a Turkish club, Colombian winger Andres Ibarguen signed from Racing and the links have continued. Yet it was the player who Miguel Herrera previously had coached in Liga MX who scored the first goal of the season for Las Aguilas. Former Tijuana forward Henry Martin was signed during the winter, and scoring goals like this one he hits on the half-volley is the way to keep the other signings off the bench and earn a place in Herrera's starting XI.

2. Alexis Vega (Toluca) - 1-0 vs. Chivas

In a game featuring Chivas' all-Mexican lineup, 20-year-old Alexis Vega stole the show as the standout young national team prospect. Vega repaid manager Hernan Cristante's faith in him in Round 1, scoring this wonderful overhead flick to put the Red Devils on the board in the first half.

Vega decides to hit Fernando Uribe's chip first time despite having his back to the goal and beats Rodolfo Cota, who hardly had time to react.

1. Nicolas Castillo (Pumas) - 1-2 v. Pachuca

We'll come clean right now: We're suckers for a good team goal. This one, which capped off Pumas' comeback in a 3-2 victory over Pachuca after Tuzos had scored two unanswered, is particularly excellent. It starts near Pumas' own area when Marcelo Diaz plays a long ball toward the center circle. Rather than hold it up with his back to goal, Castillo decides to go with a dummy and make a charge toward the goal from the halfway line. Matias Alustiza, playing with Pumas for the first time since his winter move, picks up the move and back-heels to the Chilean. From there, it's all Castillo, who charges forward and finishes with his left foot.

The celebration is ecstatic from the forward, whose previous tournament was cut short by injury. No doubt he'll be equally ecstatic to know he's won this week's Goal Liga MX Goal of the Week.

Advertisement

Editors' Picks