Two Teams Still Searching for First Win Share Points in Scrappy Draw

BUENOS AIRES — The desperate search for a first victory in the CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina continued Wednesday night at Estadio Nuevo Francisco Urbano, where Alianza Lima and ADIFFEM played to a 1-1 draw that did little to ease the mounting pressure on either side.

The result leaves both teams rooted to the bottom of their respective groups after three matches, their tournament hopes hanging by increasingly frail threads. For Alianza Lima, the point represented a modest improvement after back-to-back defeats. For ADIFFEM, it marked their first point of the competition, though whether it arrives as salvation or too little, too late remains to be seen.

The match unfolded with the anxious energy of two sides who could ill afford another loss. Neither team managed to establish sustained control, instead trading possessions like boxers feeling each other out, wary of committing too much and leaving themselves exposed. The first half produced few clear chances, both defenses marshaling their resources effectively even if the overall quality of play left much to be desired.

A Breakthrough, Then Immediate Adversity

The deadlock finally broke in the second half when Alianza Lima found the opener, momentarily lifting the weight of their winless start. The Peruvian side had managed just one goal across their opening two fixtures—a 2-1 loss to Brazilian powerhouse Ferroviaria and a scoreless stalemate against Boca Juniors. Their breakthrough Wednesday felt like vindication, proof that their attacking efforts could bear fruit against determined opposition.

But football, as it so often does, had other plans. ADIFFEM responded with urgency born of necessity, pushing forward with renewed purpose. The Venezuelan side, shut out in consecutive losses to Ferroviaria (1-0) and Boca Juniors (2-0), had scored once in three matches entering play. Their equalizer represented not just a tactical accomplishment but an emotional release, validation that they belonged on this stage even as results suggested otherwise.

The match grew increasingly fractious as both teams recognized what was slipping away. According to tournament statistics, ADIFFEM's Maria Reyes proved particularly aggressive, accumulating cards at an alarming rate—three per 90 minutes across the competition. Wednesday's proceedings featured their share of robust challenges, both sides understanding that politeness rarely wins points when survival is at stake.

The Mathematics of Elimination

The draw leaves Alianza Lima with a solitary point from three matches, sitting fourth in Group B behind Ferroviaria, Boca Juniors, and their Wednesday opponents. ADIFFEM's single point keeps them anchored at the bottom of their group, their goal differential an albatross around their collective neck.

Group leaders Corinthians continued to set the pace elsewhere in the competition, their dominance a stark reminder of the chasm between the tournament's elite and its struggling participants. For Alianza Lima and ADIFFEM, Wednesday's result represented the kind of outcome that satisfies no one—not quite good enough to generate momentum, not quite bad enough to force wholesale changes.

What Comes Next

The path forward grows narrower with each passing match. Alianza Lima must find consistency in their attacking play while shoring up a defense that has conceded in each of their three appearances. The point against ADIFFEM may provide psychological relief, but mathematics care nothing for sentiment. They need victories, and they need them soon.

ADIFFEM faces an even steeper climb. Scoring goals has proven their Achilles heel, managing just one across three matches before Wednesday's breakthrough. Their ability to find the net against Alianza Lima suggests offensive capability exists within the squad, but unlocking it consistently against tournament-caliber opposition remains their central challenge.

Both teams entered this competition with aspirations beyond mere participation. Both now find themselves fighting against the calendar as much as their opponents, hoping that Wednesday's shared point represents a turning point rather than a footnote in their tournament obituaries. The margins for error have evaporated entirely. What remains is simple arithmetic: win, or watch the competition continue without you.