Xoloitzcuintles finish competition with one loss
TIJUANA,– (March 11, 2015) Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente allowed second half goals in a 2-0 loss to visiting Jaguares de Chiapas in a quarterfinals match of Copa MX Wednesday night at Estadio Caliente.
Isaac Diaz and Andres Andrade scored for Chiapas, eliminating the Xoloitzcuintles (Xolos) from the competition featuring teams from the Mexican First and Second Division.
Diaz converted a penalty kick in the 65th minute, beating Club Tijuana goalkeeper Gibran Lajud. Andrade scored on a blast from about 30-yards out in the 75th, catching the Xoloitzcuintles defense and Lajud off guard as the ball bounced into the net.
Club Tijuana’s Oliver Ortiz slammed a penalty kick off the crossbar in the 81st minute as the Xoloitzcuintles ran out of time and a chance to rally. Instead, Chiapas knocks off the No. 1 seed and an unbeaten Club Tijuana while it moves on to the semifinals.
Coach Daniel Guzman’s team came out looking for to score from the start, although Chiapas defended well to make it a balanced match despite pressure from the home side.
Club Tijuana began to attack from every angle as forwards Henry Martin and Amando Moreno worked together to find the net. Perhaps the most dangerous play of the first half came in the 25th minute when Paul Arriola charged the small box, sent a shot but it was blocked by Chiapas goalkeeper Cesar Lozano. Henry Martin got the rebound and fed a soft touch to Jose Ayovi who shot from about 25-yards but his shot sailed over the crossbar.
The Xoloitzcuintles had another clear opportunity five minutes later when Lozano came off his line and Martin tried to shoot from inside the box but a defender stopped him in his tracks with a sliding tackle, blocking the ball.
Ayovi had another chance seconds before the half when Martin sent a cross into the six-yard box but Ayovi couldn’t connect at the goal line with a defender on him.
The Xoloitzcuintles came out firing in the second half. Ayovi sped into the area seconds after the start, sent a ball looking for a charging Martin who poked the ball at the goal line but his shot zoomed just wide of the left post.
Chiapas had a clear chance in the 54th minute when Diaz sent a header nearly at point blank but Lajud, the Xoloitzcuintles goalkeeper was there to react and quickly slap the ball down to end the threat.
Arriola also threatened the Chiapas goal in the 58th minute with a shot from inside the area. Lozano also slapped it away for a corner kick.
The penalty kick against Club Tijuana was whistled in the 64th minute. Xoloitzcuintles players argued it was a dive but referee Miguel Chacon ignored the pleading. Diaz converted the penalty kick a minute later for a Chiapas 1-0 lead. Andrade scored Chiapas’ second goal with his shot from outside the area. The ball bounced in front of Lajud and into the net.
The penalty kick whistled against Chiapas came in the 79th minute when a Luis Chavez free kick hit Chiapas’ Alan Zamora in the arm inside the area. Ortiz stepped to the penalty spot and took his shot. Chiapas would hold the shutout.
Club Tijuana came into the match unbeaten after winning Group 3 with a 4-0-2 and 17 points in the standings, good for the No. 1 seed. The Xoloitzcuintles will now focus on LIGA MX action. Guzman’s squad leads the table with 20 points after nine matches. The Xoloitzcuintles host the second place team Veracruz Friday March 13 in a Week 10 match at Estadio Caliente.
Xolos vs. Jaguares at Estadio Caliente
FINAL SCORE: CHIAPAS 2, XOLOS 0
ROSTERS:
Club Tijuana: 5. Elio Castro, 8. Jose Ayovi, 11. Henry Martin, 20. Paul Arriola (Luis Chavez 79th). 21. Oliver Ortiz, 25. Gibran Lajud, 26. Javier Salas, 27. Alejandro Guido, 32. Luis Garcia, 91. Christian Torres, 95. Amando Moreno (Edgar Villegas 55th).
Chiapas:1. Cesar Lozano (Carlos Trejo 65th), 2. Javier Muñoz, 3. William Paredes, 4. Edgar Dueñenas, 10. Andres Andrade, 14. Isaac Diaz, 20. Alan Zamora, 24. Luis Rodriguez, 27. Silvio Romero (Horacio Cervantes 89th), 33. Bruno Pereira (Francisco Arizala 29th), 35. Emiliano Armenteros
Goals scored by:
1-0 – 65th Isaac Diaz –Chiapas
2-0 – 75th Andres Andrade –Chiapas