LEON, Mexico -(May 9, 2015) –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles played to a 6-2 loss to Club Leon FC in the final match of the LIGA MX 2015 Clausura regular season Saturday night. The Xoloitzcuintles came into the match needing a win in order to advance to the playoffs but the loss to the “Panzas Verdes” eliminates Tijuana from post-season contention.
Colombian striker Dayro Moreno scored his eighth and ninth goals of the season in the 10th and 88th minute. The first goal offset a third minute Carlos Peña goal to make the score 1-1 and the second closed out the scoring in the Week 17 match.
Club Leon kept consistent pressure most of the first half and found a go-ahead goal in the 31st minute through Fernando Navarro, who would later set up another goal.
Club Tijuana was whistled for a penalty kick two minutes later. Center referee Erick Miranda called the penalty kick for a handball inside of the Xoloitzcuintles box. Luis Montes stepped up and converted the penalty kick for Leon’s third goal.
Gonzalo Rios scored after blasting a ball from the top of the box after Navarro had dribbled all the way to the end line and sent a low backwards cross before the halftime whistle.
In the second half, the Xoloitzcuintles came out pressuring looking for a goal that could spark momentum. Leon goalkeeper Christian Martinez was forced into several saves from Moreno shots.
After the initial wave of Club Tijuana pressure, Leon settled in and pushed forward again. Juan Gonzalez made it 5-1 and Peña found a second goal to make it 6-1 in the 69th and 72nd minute.
Moreno tapped in his second of the night on a ball from an Alfredo Moreno pass to close out the scoring in the 88th minute.
Club Tijuana finished the tournament with a 7-7-3 record and 24 points after a fast start to the season. It spent seven weeks in first place before going on an eight-game winless streak while earning one of 24 possible points in that span. It will now focus on the upcoming 2015 Apertura season, which kicks off in late July.
FINAL SCORE: LEON 6, XOLOS 2
ROSTERS:
Club Tijuana: 3. Javier Gandolfi, 4. Jesus Chavez, 6. Javier Guemez 7. Gabriel Hauche (Richard Ruiz 63rd), 13. Cirilo Saucedo, 15. Joe Corona, 17. Dayro Moreno, 18. Juan Arango (Afredo Moreno 67th), 21. Oliver Ortiz (Henry Martin 38th), 22. Juan Carlos Nuñez, 28. Edgar Villegas
Leon: 4. Ignacio Canuto, 5. Fernando Navarro (Jonny Magallon 70th), 6. Jose Cardenas, 7. Edwin Hernandez, 8. Elias Hernandez (Martin Bravo 82nd), 10. Luis Montes, 16. Christian Martinez, 18. Gonzalo Rios (Mauro Boselli 74th), 23. Jose Vazquez, 27. Carlos Peña, 35. Ignacio Gonzalez
Goals scored by:
1-0- 3rd Carlos Peña –Leon
1-1-10th– Dayro Moreno –Tijuana
2-1- 31st– Fernando Navarro –Leon
3-1- 34th –Luis Montes (PK) –Leon
4-1- 37th –Gonzalo Rios –Leon
5-1- 69th –Ignacio Gonzalez –Leon
6-1- 72nd– Carlos Peña –Leon
6-2 -88th –Dayro Moreno- Tijuana