Alajuelense Fútbol Femenino

Alajuelense Femenil
Full nameLiga Deportiva Alajuelense Femenil
Nickname(s)Manudas, Rojinegras, Leonas
FoundedApril 9, 2019 (2019-04-09)[1]
StadiumEstadio Alejandro Morera Soto
Capacity17,895
PresidentJoseph Joseph
Sporting directorMercedes Salas[2]
ManagerWilmer López
LeagueCosta Rican Women's Premier Division
2023 Clausura1st, Champions
Websitehttps://lda.cr/
Primary colours
Secondary colours
Tertiary colours

Liga Deportiva Alajuelense Femenil, also known as Alajuelense Fútbol Femenino (Alajuelense FF) and Alajuelense Femenil, is a women's football team that competes in the Costa Rican Women's Premier Division, the top division of women's football in Costa Rica.[3] It is affiliated with men's side Liga Deportiva Alajuelense and was formed through an agreement with the Comite Cantonal de Deportes y Recreación de Alajuela (CODEA); the club first competed as Alajuelense CODEA in 2019.[4][5][6][7][8]

As of 5 June 2023, it is the first and only club in the Costa Rican Women's Premier Division to win two undefeated championships, to win consecutive championships, or to win three or more championships.[9][10]

As of 7 May 2023, IFFHS ranked the club 5th in CONCACAF and 36th in the world,[11] the highest rankings for any club from Central America or Costa Rica.[12][13] As of 2022, it was also the only club in Costa Rica to field a women's team at all levels of competition.[14]

History

Women's football in Alajuela was played as early as 15 September 1959, between clubs Independiente and ODECA at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto. Independiente wore red shirts against ODECA, wearing blue, and won 2–0.[15] A women's side affiliated with Alajuelense reportedly played in the 1996 Campeonato de ANAFA.[16]

In 2019, Shirley Cruz became the first women's footballer to sign a professional contract with a Costa Rican team

Beginnings

CODEA had participated in Costa Rica's women's league in 2001, but had no relationship with Liga Deportiva Alajuelense and instead became UCEM Alajuela.[17] In 2017, the club defeated AD Coronado to win promotion from the Segunda División, and after a year in the Premier Division signed an agreement with Liga Deportiva Alajuelense.[18][19][20] In 2019, the team signed Costa Rican international player Shirley Cruz, who had previously played in Europe and the United States, to the first professional contract in Costa Rican women's football.[21][22][8] Other players followed, including Fabiola Sánchez, Priscila Chinchilla, Lixy Rodríguez, Fernanda Barrantes, María Paula Salas, and Noelia Bermúdez.[23][24][25][26][27]

On 9 December 2019 the team secured its first championship in the Primera División by winning the Torneo Clausura,[28][29] qualifying it for the national final against Clásico del fútbol costarricense femenino [es] rivals Saprissa FF.[30][31][32][33] Alajuelense drew the first match of the national final 1–1 at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá,[34] then on 16 December 2019 won the second leg 1–0 on a goal by Priscila Chinchilla at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto to secure the club's first national championship in its inaugural season. The second leg set a national women's club attendance record of 16,900.[35][36]

Success and records

Alajuelense severed the club's affiliation with CODEA and organized its own lower divisions.[37]

Alajuelense's 2021 Women's Torneo Apertura championship trophy, center

The newly rebranded Alajuelense team won its second championship in 2021 by winning the first phase[38] and defeating Dimas in the two-legged semi-final, rallying from a 2–3 loss in the first leg to win 4–3 on aggregate.[39] In the national final against Herediano, Alajuelense drew 2–2 on goals by Kenia Rangel and Marta Cox,[40] drew in regulation of the second leg 1–1 on a goal by Sianyf Agüero [es], and failed to separate after extra time. In the penalty shoot-out to decide the championship, Alajuelense won 5–4. Cox won the championship's Golden Boot award as top goalscorer and also registered the most assists.[41][42]

The team won its third championship in the 2021 Torneo Clausura in historic fashion, becoming the first club in Costa Rican women's soccer to complete an undefeated season, winning 16 of 18 matches and drawing twice. Alajuelense defeated Herediano again in the national championship semi-finals, then defeated Saprissa in the finals 5–2 on aggregate, with Paula Salas completing a hat-trick in the second leg.[43] The club ended 2021 by winning the Super Copa 5–1 against Saprissa FF.[44]

The team then won the 2022 Torneo Apertura, becoming the first to win consecutive tournaments with undefeated seasons and the first to win three championships. The two undefeated seasons and championships totalled 39 matches without a loss.[45] Alajuelense defeated Sporting F.C. in the national championship semi-finals before defeating Saprissa once again in the finals, 4–1 on aggregate.[46][47]

International success

In September 2022 Alajuelense won its first international title by defeating Saprissa 1–0 in the finals of the Torneo Interclubes Femenino Uncaf Fifa Forward 2022.[48] Alajuelense became the first club to win the tournament with a perfect record, scoring 28 total goals.[49][50][51][52] The trophy was Alajuelense's sixth, setting a record for most total cups won by a Costa Rican women's club.[53]

Fourth championship

In December 2022 Alajuelense won its fourth championship by defeating Sporting F.C. Despite suffering its first loss in a national championship series, the team rallied to win 4–3 on aggregate.[54][55]

Fifth championship

In June 2023 Alajuelense won its sixth championship by defeating Sporting F.C. again in the Torneo Apertura finals, but did so after falling behind three goals in the first leg by losing 1–4. In the second leg, expected to be captain Shirley Cruz's final match for the team before retirement, the team rallied to win 4–0 and defeat Sporting 5–4 on aggregate. Natalia Mills scored the championship-winning goal.[56][57]

Stadium

Main article: Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto

The team plays in Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, the home stadium of Liga Deportiva Alajuelense. The team also plays at the High Performance Center stadium in Turrúcares. The team's previous home ground was the Monserrat Sports Center in the Río Segundo District of Alajuela.

Records

See also: es:Alajuelense Fútbol Femenino

Year-by-year

As of 3 June 2023.[58]

Seasons of Liga Deportiva Alajuelense Femenil
Edition Result Apertura Clausura MP W D L GF GA Pts. Per. Copa / S. Copa Top goalscorer GS Manager
2018[a] 4th 3rd 5th 28 14 6 8 70 48 48 57% – Costa Rica Priscila Chinchilla 24 Costa Rica Edgar Rodríguez Carranza [es]
2019[b] Champions 3rd 1st 36 25 3 8 110 45 78 72% – Costa Rica Priscila Chinchilla 33
Tournaments of Liga Deportiva Alajuelense Femenil
Edition Result Pos. MP W D L GF GA Pts. Per. Copa / S. Copa Top goalscorer GS Manager
Apertura 2020 Abandoned 1st[c] 3 3 0 0 8 0 9 100% – Costa Rica María Paula Salas 3 Costa Rica Edgar Rodríguez Carranza [es]
2020 3rd 3rd[c] 20 12 2 6 52 20 38 63% – Costa Rica Priscila Chinchilla 12 Costa Rica Edgar Rodríguez Carranza
Costa Rica Wilmer López
Apertura 2021 Champions 1st[c] 18 10 4 4 40 17 34 63% – Panama Marta Cox 9 Costa Rica Wilmer López
Clausura 2021 Champions 1st[c] 18 16 2 0 58 13 50 93% Champions[d] Costa Rica Fernanda Barrantes 10
Apertura 2022 Champions 1st[c] 18 14 4 0 57 10 46 85% 3rd[e] United States Mia Corbin 15
Clausura 2022 Champions 3rd[c] 18 12 1 5 42 29 37 68% Runners-up[d][e] United States Mia Corbin 17
Apertura 2023 Champions 1st[c] 16 13 2 3 57 15 40 83% – Panama Kenia Rangel
Panama Natalia Mills		 8
  1. ^ As CODEA
  2. ^ As Alajulenese CODEA
  3. ^ a b c d e f g First phase
  4. ^ a b Super Cup
  5. ^ a b Cup

Honors

Championships won by Alajuelense Femenil:

International

National

Managers

Primera División managers:

Players

See also: Category:Alajuelense Fútbol Femenino footballers

Current squad

As of 21 August 2024.[68]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Costa Rica CRC Noelia Bermúdez
2 DF Costa Rica CRC María José Brenes
3 DF Costa Rica CRC Gabriela Guillén
4 DF Costa Rica CRC Paula Coto
6 DF Panama PAN Natalia Mills
7 MF Costa Rica CRC Viviana Chinchilla
8 MF Costa Rica CRC Mariela Campos
10 MF Costa Rica CRC Shirley Cruz
No. Pos. Nation Player
11 MF Panama PAN Kenia Rangel
14 DF Costa Rica CRC Fabiola Villalobos
16 MF Costa Rica CRC Marilenis Oporta [es]
20 DF Costa Rica CRC Alexandra Pinell
21 DF Costa Rica CRC Sofía Arguedas
25 FW Costa Rica CRC Sianif Agüero [es]
30 MF Costa Rica CRC Saray Benavides
— DF Dominican Republic DOM Gabriella Cuevas

See also

References

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