PACHUCA, Mexico (Jan. 18, 2014)- Argentine midfielder Cristian Pellerano scored six minutes into the match but it wasn’t enough for Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente in a 2-1 loss to host Pachuca FC in a Week 3 match of the LIGA Bancomer MX-2014 Clausura Saturday night at Estadio Hidalgo.
Pachuca scored two second half goals to hand Club Tijuana its first loss of the season while earning its first win of the tournament. The Xoloitzcuintles, coached by Cesar Farias, stay at four points in the standings with the loss.
Pellerano gave Club Tijuana (1-1-1) the 1-0 lead six minutes into the match before Pachuca (1-1-1, 4 points) responded with goals by Emer Valencia (67th) and Walter Ayovi (74th). Valencia scored on a header off a pass by Edgar Andrade and Ayovi scored via a penalty kick after Club Tijuana defender Hernan Pellerano was whistled for a handball in the penalty area. The ball Hernan Pellerano’s wrist as he tried push up from the ground. Valencia‘s score came when he split Hernan Pellerano and goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo on Andrade’s pass
The Xoloitzcuintles’ goal came when Javier Guemez found Pellerano wide open near the top of the penalty box. Pellerano took the soft rolling pass, set up the ball, looked up and sent his right-footed blast zooming out of the reach of Pachuca goalkeeper Oscar Perez into the top right corner of the net.
Club Tijuana found a rhythm during the first half and early in the second, controlling the ball and was able to apply a fluid brand of soccer and stifling defending. That led to a handful of scoring chances by Mexican-American striker Herculez Gomez, Dario Benedetto, Fidel Martinez and Pellerano.
Benedetto had a one-on-one play against Perez, who blocked his shot in the 21st minute. Benedetto also had a chance in the 61st minute as he made a half turn and sent a shot that was punched away by Perez. Pellerano sent a blast over the cross bar in the 31st minute. Gomez had two shots sent wide off the mark in the first half and two more lately in the match, including a point-blank shot blocked by Perez in the 85th minute.
Farias used Saucedo as his starting goalkeeper while Javier Gandolfi, Juan Carlos Nunez, Edgar Castillo and Hernan Pellerano were the defenders. Richard Ruiz, Javier Guemez and Pellerano started at midfield while Martinez, Benedetto and Gomez were the strikers. Joe Corona, Greg Garza and Paul Arriola came on as second half substitutes.
The Xoloitzcuintles return to Tijuana for a Week 4 match against Monarcas Morelia Friday Jan. 24 (7:30 p.m. Pacific) at Estadio Caliente.
SCORING
6th– Pellerano (TIJ)
67th -Valencia (PAC)
74th– Ayovi (PAC)