Moreno and Salas score, Xoloitzcuintles remain unbeaten in tournament
TEPIC, Mexico– (Feb. 17, 2015) -Club Tijuana played to a 2-2 tie against host Coras de Tepic in a Copa MX match Tuesday night to stay on top of Group 3 with 12 points.
Goals from Amando Moreno and Javier Salas secured the point in the standings and the extra point for winning the series with a 5-3 aggregate. Club Tijuana had to play at a disadvantage after midfielder Alejandro Guido was shown a direct red card in the first half. Club Tijuana (3-0-1) is unbeaten in the tournament featuring teams from the Mexican First and Second Division.
Moreno gave the Xoloitzcuintles a 1-0 lead in the third minute by meeting a low Henry Martin cross with a one time shot to beat the goalkeeper.
The home side didn’t take long to respond. Coras scored in the fifth and seventh minute. Eder Pacheco and Juan Miguel Basulto found the net for Tepic.
Xoloitzcuintles goalkeeper Girban Lajud came up with a standout save in the 11th minute, stopping a Coras penalty kick. It was his second blocked PK in the Copa MX in as many tries. The penalty was whistled against Club Tijuana after a defender used his hand to clear a ball.
Guido, a Mater Dei High grad in Chula Vista, Calif, slid in for a tackle at midfield and was shown a direct red card leaving the visitors down a player for the majority of the match. Manager Daniel Guzman adjusted the team by bringing in Fernando Arce Jr. to cover the space Guido’s absence produced.
In the second half, Coras Tepic, a Second Division squad, looked to put the game away while 10-men Club Tijuana fought for the equalizer. Midfielder Salas found it with a curling shot from the left side that sneaked inside of the far post to tie the game after Coras led 2-1.
The Xoloitzcuintles will remain on the road and now travel to Guadalajara where it will play Leones Negros Sunday in LIGA MX play. Leones Negros are also Club Tijuana’s next Copa MX opponent in the they will play first leg of the third and final Group 3 series Tuesday Feb. 24th at Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara.
Club Tijuana vs. Coras de Tepic at Coras Arena
FINAL SCORE: XOLOS 2, TEPIC 2
SCORING:
1-0- Amando Moreno- Tijuana (3rd minute)
1-1-Edgar Pacheco -Tepic (4th)
2-1-Juan Basulto –Tepic (6th)
2-2 Javier Salas –Tijuana (62nd)
Rosters:
Club Tijuana: Gibran Lajud; Elio Castro, Oliver Ortiz, Luis Garcia, John Requejo (Paul Arriola 54th minute); Javier Salas, Alejandro Guido (Red Card 11th), Edgar Villegas, Manuel Herrera (Pedro Hernandez 79th); Henry Martin, Amando Moreno (Christian Torres 20th)
Tepic: Luis Garcia, Miguel Basulto, Juan Ocampo, Jorge Mora, Eder Pacheco, Eduardo Arce (Jhonatah De Campos 45th), Sebastian Puerta, Giovani Casillas (Adolfo Bautista 70th), Luis Solorio, Miguel Nuño, Michael Perez.