TOLUCA, Mexico (Oct. 20, 2013) –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente retuned to LIGA Bancomer MX-2103 Apertura action with a 0-0 tie against host CD Toluca Sunday at Estadio Nemesio Diez.
The Xoloitzcuintles came back to league play after a two week break due to FIFA World Cup qualifying and it came back to a tight match against a short-handed Toluca team that spent most of the match bunkered in its territory.
Coach Jorge Almiron’s team could not break through the Diablos Rojos’ defense and find a score but it left Club Tijuana with one more point in the standings. The Xoloitzcuintles (4-5-5) reached 17 points as it tries to earn one of the top eight post season slots. Toluca (6-2-6, 24 points) finished the game with 10 men after Carlos Rodriguez was sent off with a direct red card in the 33rd minute. Club Tijuana tried to take advantage of the situation. It tried to surprise the Toluca defense with a couple of shots from a distance. Cristian Pellerano sent blasts from about 30-yards each in the 82nd and 87th minute. Both of his shots sailed over the crossbar.
The Xoloitzcuintles tried similar attacks in the first half. Dario Benedetto sent a shot from about 25-yards out, trying to surprise Toluca goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera, who punched the shot away. Fidel Martinez couldn’t reach the loose ball as Talavera got to it first to end the threat in the 27th minute. Benedetto tried another shot three minutes later. This time, he tried a half scissor kick from inside the penalty area but it was blocked by a defender.
Fernando Arce also tried a shot from inside the area but he sent an Edgar Castillo shot over the crossbar.
The Club Tijuana defense also had some key plays as it kept a Toluca counter attacking scheme at bay along with important saves by goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo. Pablo Aguilar, Juan Carlos Nunez, Javier Gandolfi and Castillo made up the starting back line. Gandolfi was back from injury while Castillo returned from playing for the United States national team in World Cup qualifiers. Javier Guemez, Pellerano and Arce, who came back from time with Mexico’s national team, started at midfield along with Paul Arriola, Martinez and Benedetto as the forwards. Benedetto also made a return from injury this week.
Almiron made some second half adjustments by substituting Richard Ruiz for Guemez, Herculez Gomez for Arriola and Greg Garza for Benedetto. The Xoloitzcuintles continued to press the Toluca defense but could not find the tiebreaker. Club Tijuana will now return home to host Tigres UANL Friday Oct. 25 in a Week 15 match of the LIGA Bancomer MX-2013 with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Estadio Caliente.
NEXT MATCH:
LIGA MX: vs. Tigres UNAL, Oct. 25, 2013 at Estadio Caliente 7:30 p.m. (Pacific)