Former Manchester United star finally breaks Mexican duck

Monterrey forward Anthony Martial finally opened his scoring account in Mexico on Friday, finding the net against Leones Negros in the Copa Pacífica.

Shortly before half time at the Estadio Jalisco, Martial received the ball around three‑quarters of the way up the field, carried it down the right flank, and finished with a precise shot inside the far post.

The Frenchman’s goal came either side of strikes by Roberto de la Rosa and Cristian Reyes, as Monterrey triumphed 3-0.

Martial, a former France international who spent nearly a decade as a Manchester United player, had previously failed to score in 12 appearances for Monterrey. The 30-year-old joined the Liga MX giants in September, after a year-long spell with Greece’s AEK Athens.

When do Monterrey kick off Clausura?

Rayados’s win over Leones Negros came just days before the start of the Liga MX’s Clausura 2026 tournament. On Jan. 10, Monterrey will open their campaign at Estadio BBVA, where they face Toluca, the reigning back‑to‑back champions of Mexican soccer.

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