In a match that felt like a crossroads for both sides, Lawal Taiwo finally broke her drought, while Vivian Ikechukwu added a key assist as Santos Laguna Women edged out Mazatlán FC Women 2-1 in the 16th round of the Liga MX Femenil Apertura.
This result injected fresh hope into the home side’s campaign and highlighted two Nigerian players stepping up when it mattered most, Footballrover reports.
Lawal Taiwo ends the wait
Just eight minutes into the tie at the Estadio Corona, Taiwo beat her recent frustrations.
Having joined Santos Laguna from Ünyespor Kadin Women after an impressive stint at Ataşehir Women, where she scored 14 goals in 12 games, and then scoring 10 in six for Ünye, she had endured a rough stretch in Mexico — ten goalless appearances until Saturday night.
Her strike barely 8 minutes into the game not only pulled one back to level the scores at 1-1 but also signalled a moment of release as she featured for 85 minutes before being replaced by Katy Ramirez.
The quality was there from the start: sharp movement, confidence in front of goal and finally the reward. For a player building her profile in a new environment, this could be the spark.
Ikechukwu sets the tone with creativity
Earlier, in the 33rd minute, it was the subtle brilliance of Vivian Ikechukwu that provided the turning point.
The 28-year-old forward logged 68 minutes of stout work and recorded the assist that allowed Sandra Nabweteme to down Mazatlán 2-1.
The former Besiktas star now has six goals and three assists in 13 appearances this season — already surpassing her tally of last season at this point last year.
The assist may not carry the same sheen as a goal, but it tells of a player growing in influence and taking responsibility at a decisive moment.
Santos Laguna started the game on a strong foot when Kimberli Gómez grabbed the early lead just two minutes into the game, and the home side looked sharper.
However, Mazatlán responded with Taiwo’s goal, but the momentum swung back when Ikechukwu’s assist set up the winner.
The victory lifts Santos Laguna to 15th place on 12 points after 16 rounds—still far from playoffs contention, but a step in the right direction.
Conversely, Mazatlán remain rooted to 18th with just two points and now face the heavy burden of ending the season winless with their last game looming against Club América Women.
For Santos Laguna, the final day sends them to Atlético San Luis Women, while Mazatlán’s 17-game winless run (15 losses, 2 draws) paints a bleak end to the campaign.
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