(VIDEO) James Scores His First Goal With Club León in Mexico
In his second match with León, James Rodríguez was crucial for his team, which faced a well-organized opponent and struggled to make an impact during the first 45 minutes.
Colombian World Cup star James Rodríguez scored a penalty to give Club León a 1-0 victory over Juárez FC this Saturday during Matchday 3 of the Clausura 2025 tournament in Liga MX.
James, a Key Player in León’s Victory
A foul in the box committed by goalkeeper Sebastián Jurado resulted in a penalty, which James confidently converted with his left foot in the 50th minute.
After the goal, the home team, coached by Argentine Eduardo Berizzo, improved significantly. In the 75th minute, they nearly extended their lead with a bicycle kick from Venezuelan Jhonder Cádiz, but the shot was saved by Jurado.
James Rodríguez was subbed off in the 80th minute, and León held on to secure the victory, climbing to third place in the standings with six points from two wins in two games. Necaxa and Tigres also have six points, while Juárez FC dropped to seventh with four.
Cruz Azul Struggles Continue After Draw With Puebla
Elsewhere, Cruz Azul drew 1-1 with Puebla, capping off a challenging week following the controversial departure of their coach, Argentine Martín Anselmi, who left to take charge of FC Porto in Portugal.
Argentine Lorenzo Faravelli gave Cruz Azul the lead in the second minute, but Uruguayan Emiliano Gómez equalized for Puebla in the 15th. Cruz Azul, off to a poor start this Clausura, sits in 16th place with two points, the same as Puebla, who are 15th.
Matchday Results and What’s Ahead
Matchday 3 began on Friday with Necaxa defeating Atlético San Luis 3-0, Tijuana beating Querétaro 2-1, and Mazatlán edging Toluca 2-1.
Necaxa climbed to first place with six points, thanks to two goals from Colombian Diber Cambindo and one from Argentine José Paradela. Tigres UANL, also with six points, has a game in hand. Tijuana secured their win with goals from Spanish defender Unai Bilbao and Argentine Emanuel Reynoso, while Paraguayan Luis Amarilla scored the decisive goal for Mazatlán against the Diablos Rojos.
On Saturday, Tigres UANL will visit Chivas de Guadalajara with a chance to reclaim the top spot if they win or draw. Defending champions América will face Santos Laguna, and Pachuca will play against Monterrey.
The round will conclude on Sunday with a clash between Pumas UNAM and Atlas.
