Liga MX Goals of the Week: The best from Clausura Jornada 12

Jon Arnold

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Liga MX Goals of the Week: The best from Clausura Jornada 12 image

The Goal committee selecting Liga MX Goals of the Week strives to be honest with our readers, so we begin today with an unconventional announcement. It was not the best week for Liga MX goals.

It had to come down at some point. After some of the best goals of the season were scored in Jornada 11, perhaps topping the phenomenal crop from Jornada 10, we knew at some point we wouldn't have such a spectacular display of finishing.

Now, don't think that means there were not any good goals this weekend in Mexico. On the contrary, there were several great goals from Mexico this weekend. They're still enjoyable, even if they're not going to be candidates for the Puskas award. Here are the top three from Jornada 12 of the Clausura:

3. Erick Gutierrez (Pachuca) - 36' v. Necaxa

Erick Gutierrez gave it all for this goal, a tally that helped Pachuca to a 1-1 draw with Necaxa that it desperately needed after being thumped 5-0 by Cruz Azul last weekend. The service from Keisuke Honda isn't great, or it's at least not where "Guti" was expecting the ball. He cuts back, though, and manages to get his head on it and direct it into the goal.

The celebration is weird. There's got to be some back story, but it looks like they were trying to get people with that game kids play where they try to make someone look at the hidden hand gesture and then get to punch them. The locker room chemistry at Pachuca must be good at the moment, though, which they'll need if they're going to get into the Liguilla.

2. Aviles Hurtado (Monterrey) - 48' v. Queretaro

Is this the most sure sign that Monterrey is snapping out of its slump? Maybe not, but seeing Aviles Hurtado back on the top goals list will at least have Rayados fans feeling hopeful about a playoff berth. It's Hurtado's first goal since a Feb. 3 double against Leon, and you could see how bad the Colombian wanted it.

Hurtado takes the ball just into the final third and pushes forward, he beats two defenders and looks like he may have taken himself too far out of the play. He hasn't. Hurtado puts his left-footed shot toward the back post and finds the equalizer. He'd assist the next two goals as Rayados rallied to win, 3-1.

1. Diego Valdes (Morelia) - 37' v. Tijuana

Since arriving in Mexico from Chile, Diego Valdes has become more known for setting up goals for Morelia than scoring them. The 24-year-old loves playing against Tijuana, though. In the Apertura, he had his only double-goal game of the tournament against Xolos and Friday he scored against Tijuana again.

It's the second goal of the Clausura for Valdes, and it was a tremendous strike. He gets the ball over the wall and down into the goal with his shot from around 30 yards out, beating Xolos goalkeeper Gibran Lajud and earning our Liga MX Goal of the Week prize.

Jon Arnold

Jon Arnold Photo

Jon Arnold covered the Mexico national team and Concacaf region in English for Goal until March 2020. His byline also has appeared in the Dallas Morning News, the New York Times Goal blog, FloFC and Pacific Standard. In addition to his written work, he serves as the Concacaf expert on the BBC's World Football Phone-In and has appeared on SiriusXMFC in English and Fox Deportes and Milenio in Spanish. Formerly based in Tijuana and currently living in Texas, Jon covered the 2018 World Cup, the 2015 Copa America, the 2016 Copa America Centenario and the last five Gold Cups.