Cuenca wins national championship, prepares for South American tournament

The Cuenca Lionesses hoist the championship trophy. (El Tiempo)

Marching to the strains of “We are the champions” by Queen, the Cuenca Lionesses took a victory lap around the track at Alejandro Serrano Aguilar stadium Saturday night following their 2-0 win over the Quito Ñañas. With the victory, Cuenca was crowned national champions in the inaugural season of Ecuador’s women’s football Super League.

Cuenca celebrates its first goal. (El Tiempo)

The victory, played out before a sell-out crowd of 15,000, sends Cuenca to the first round of the Copa Libertadores de América in Quito on October 11.

The two sides played to a draw in the first half with the Ñañas pushing the action. The second period was scoreless until the 77-minute mark when Cuenca’s top scorer Madelin Riera headed a lob pass into the Quito goal. Seven minutes later, Guatemalan-born Riera scored again to seal the victory.

Cuenca amassed and impressive 24-1-1 record in their first season of competition, scoring a league high 107 goals. Riera led all individual scorers with 44 goals.