Xolos open season against Puebla; face tough 2012 schedule
Club bans "beer tossing" during goal celebrations
by Ivan Orozco
July 19 2012
The wait is over. Professional soccer is back South of the border.
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles opens the 2012 Apertura tournament of the Mexican First Division when it hosts Puebla Friday night at Estadio Caliente.
Tijuana, a team that went from being close to relegation back to the minor leagues just one year ago, is coming off an unprecedented season. Coach Antonio Mohamed’s squad reached the post season in the team’s second tournament in Mexico’s top flight league.
The Xolos clinched a postseason slot after finishing seventh in the overall standings, pairing the team with eventual runner up Monterrey in the quarterfinals.
Tijuana is hoping to make another run at the playoffs, or “Liguilla,” and advance past the quarterfinals. But to repeat on a postseason appearance, the Xolos might have to win early.
After all, Tijuana could have what is the toughest schedule yet.
The 17-game schedule opens Friday against Puebla at home, then Leon, and then Tijuana is home against UNAM Pumas. Puebla and Pumas failed to make the recent Clausura playoffs.
Leon is newly promoted from the second division or “Liga de Ascenso.”
But then things turn tough. The Xolos must play away against both Clausura finalists. That would be Santos Laguna and Monterrey, the team that eliminated the Xolos from the playoffs last tournament.
The Xolos then also face Mexico’s richest clubs, on the road. Mexico’s City’s Club America and Chivas of Guadalajara both played at Estadio Caliente last season. In addition to these powerhouse teams, the Xolos must play all four semifinalists from the Clausura season on the road.
The good news for Tijuana is that the schedule flips for the 2013 Clausura tournament, with all those tough road games against powerhouse teams becoming home games.
The Xolos went 2-2-2 against the league’s best teams last tournament. That includes regular season wins against Monterrey and Chivas, loses to Santos Laguna and Tigres UANL and draws against Club America and Morelia.
Tijuana sees those teams later in the upcoming season.
Xolos defender and team captain Javier Gandolfi said the team is ready for the challenge.
“We had a very good offseason with some good preparation matches,” Gandolfi said in Spanish. “I think we will fine as we approach the first game. Our daily obligation is to get better. We were left with a thorn in our side after the last tournament. But that is history. We know we have to make new history, new objectives, new visions so that the team is confident and conscious. That way we will come out this weekend and try to earn those three points.”
The Xolos will also try to win as part of the Torneo de Copa, Mexico’s rejuvenated domestic cup. They drew into a group with Merida, Celaya and Pumas, opening July 24 at home against Merida.
Xolos dialing back on "cerveza" toss
It has been a tradition. Toss your cup of whatever is in it, into the air. That is what fans are accustomed to doing at the almost 20,000 seat Estadio Caliente when the Xolos scored a goal. If you left the game with dry clothes, it meant the Xolos were shutout.
You might leave dry even after some Xolos scoring this season.
The FMF, Mexico’s soccer federation, recently outlined new regulations for making the in-stadium experience at its games more family friendly, one of which prohibits liquids being poured on players or fans.
Club Tijuana interpreted that as a ban on spontaneous beer showers. It issued a news release this week asking a change in goal celebrations. It said it wants celebrations to “be with respect and without exaggeration, particularly in the case of liquids that can spill on other fans, especially children and the elderly.”
The new guidelines take effect for the Apertura season, which starts Friday against Puebla. Offenders will be ejected from the stadium and could have season-ticket (Xolo Pass) privileges revoked.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
http://www.sandiegor...edule/pagina-1/
Xolos schedule for 2012
Started by HK70, Dec 07 2011 10:22 PM
59 replies to this topic
#42
HK70
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Posted 21 July 2012 - 11:17 PM
Xolos open season with 2-0 win against Puebla
Newcomers contribute, Arce and Garcia score in Tijuana’s convincing win
by Ivan Orozco
July 20 2012
TIJUANA –Pablo Aguilar sprinted away from the North goal Friday night.
With arms raised over his head and a smile on his face, the Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles defender then quickly stopped. Dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands near the top of the 18-yard box.
Garcia had just scored his first goal with the Xolos. It came via a header off a Fernando Arce corner kick in the 70th minute. The scoring play capped a 2-0 win against Puebla at a sold out Estadio Caliente in the 2012 Apertura opener for both teams.
Garcia sneaked behind Puebla’s defense and sprinted to near the goal line, redirecting the Arce’s pass before defenders could reach it. The score sealed the win for the Xolos.
The Xolos earned the initial three points of the season much by controlling possession and striking with free kicks. That’s how Tijuana midfielder Fernando Arce sent in his goal to open up the score.
Arce gave the Xolos a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.
Arce sent a right-footed curling shot from just outside the penalty box, the ball bending from right to left. Puebla goalkeeper Alexandro Alvarez, diving to his left, got a piece of the ball but it was not enough to keep Arce’s shot from crossing the goal line and into the right side of the net. It was Arce’s second goal with Tijuana since being signed by the club in 2011 at the start of the Xolos’ first tournament as member of the First Division.
For Aguilar, it was also his first score with the Xolos since coming to Tijuana via a loan from San Luis. The defender was part of a handful of offseason acquisitions made by Xolos coach Antonio Mohamed.
“I think we held our own despite losing Pepe (Sand) and Egidio,” Mohamed said. “I think we have a good roster with plenty of options to adapt to different situations. The newcomers helped tremendously. They did well. We got a goal from one of them.”
The Xolos often pressured Puebla’s defense, creating a handful of scoring opportunities early on.
Alvarez kept the game relatively close with several acrobatic saves. Alvarez kept out a Pellerano shot from about 25-yards in the 19th minute. Pellerano, the Xolos last offseason acquisition, sent the one-time shot low and to the right. But Alvarez dove on the ball at the goal line to end the threat.
Part of the Xolos’ early offensive pressure came minutes into the match. Midfielder Joe Corona sent a ball of his right leg over the crossbar near Puebla’s right post. Corona couldn’t completely control Duvier Riasco’s floating pass from right to left.
Striker Fidel Maritnez, who subbed in for Corona in the second half, nearly scored in the 68th minute. He took a rolling pass near the mouth of the goal and shot it with his right foot only to have Alvarez make the save.
The Xolos continued to threat in the second half. Arce nearly scored again and almost added an assist to his night. His shot from 28-yards out in the 58th minute sailed over the right post, flying into the newly added 5,000 seat section of the nearly 20,000 seat stadium.
Tijuana had a goal disallowed in the 50th minute after Javier Gandolfi headed in an Arce bending pass but was whistled offsides.
The Xolos travel next week to face Leon, the newly ascended club from La Liga de Ascenso. But before heading to the Week 2 match up, Tijuana is scheduled to play against Merida FC at Estadio Caliente Tuesday night.
The match is a “Torneo de Copa,” a domestic tournament featuring four teams from the First and Second Divisions.
“We have two difficulties with the Torneo de Copa,” Mohamed said. “The travel in between the week could be hectic. We will have other players to use that probably wouldn’t play in the regular tournament.”
http://www.sandiegor...against-Puebla/
Newcomers contribute, Arce and Garcia score in Tijuana’s convincing win
by Ivan Orozco
July 20 2012
TIJUANA –Pablo Aguilar sprinted away from the North goal Friday night.
With arms raised over his head and a smile on his face, the Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles defender then quickly stopped. Dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands near the top of the 18-yard box.
Garcia had just scored his first goal with the Xolos. It came via a header off a Fernando Arce corner kick in the 70th minute. The scoring play capped a 2-0 win against Puebla at a sold out Estadio Caliente in the 2012 Apertura opener for both teams.
Garcia sneaked behind Puebla’s defense and sprinted to near the goal line, redirecting the Arce’s pass before defenders could reach it. The score sealed the win for the Xolos.
The Xolos earned the initial three points of the season much by controlling possession and striking with free kicks. That’s how Tijuana midfielder Fernando Arce sent in his goal to open up the score.
Arce gave the Xolos a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.
Arce sent a right-footed curling shot from just outside the penalty box, the ball bending from right to left. Puebla goalkeeper Alexandro Alvarez, diving to his left, got a piece of the ball but it was not enough to keep Arce’s shot from crossing the goal line and into the right side of the net. It was Arce’s second goal with Tijuana since being signed by the club in 2011 at the start of the Xolos’ first tournament as member of the First Division.
For Aguilar, it was also his first score with the Xolos since coming to Tijuana via a loan from San Luis. The defender was part of a handful of offseason acquisitions made by Xolos coach Antonio Mohamed.
“I think we held our own despite losing Pepe (Sand) and Egidio,” Mohamed said. “I think we have a good roster with plenty of options to adapt to different situations. The newcomers helped tremendously. They did well. We got a goal from one of them.”
The Xolos often pressured Puebla’s defense, creating a handful of scoring opportunities early on.
Alvarez kept the game relatively close with several acrobatic saves. Alvarez kept out a Pellerano shot from about 25-yards in the 19th minute. Pellerano, the Xolos last offseason acquisition, sent the one-time shot low and to the right. But Alvarez dove on the ball at the goal line to end the threat.
Part of the Xolos’ early offensive pressure came minutes into the match. Midfielder Joe Corona sent a ball of his right leg over the crossbar near Puebla’s right post. Corona couldn’t completely control Duvier Riasco’s floating pass from right to left.
Striker Fidel Maritnez, who subbed in for Corona in the second half, nearly scored in the 68th minute. He took a rolling pass near the mouth of the goal and shot it with his right foot only to have Alvarez make the save.
The Xolos continued to threat in the second half. Arce nearly scored again and almost added an assist to his night. His shot from 28-yards out in the 58th minute sailed over the right post, flying into the newly added 5,000 seat section of the nearly 20,000 seat stadium.
Tijuana had a goal disallowed in the 50th minute after Javier Gandolfi headed in an Arce bending pass but was whistled offsides.
The Xolos travel next week to face Leon, the newly ascended club from La Liga de Ascenso. But before heading to the Week 2 match up, Tijuana is scheduled to play against Merida FC at Estadio Caliente Tuesday night.
The match is a “Torneo de Copa,” a domestic tournament featuring four teams from the First and Second Divisions.
“We have two difficulties with the Torneo de Copa,” Mohamed said. “The travel in between the week could be hectic. We will have other players to use that probably wouldn’t play in the regular tournament.”
http://www.sandiegor...against-Puebla/
#43
HK70
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Posted 24 July 2012 - 09:44 PM
Another milestone for Xolos
Club Tijuana to play first match in revived Torneo de Copa tournament
by Ivan Orozco
July 24 2012
Another tournament, another milestone, another debut.
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles is slated to being competition in another platform Tuesday night. This time, the Xolos will play in their first “Torneo de Copa” when it hosts Merida FC at Estadio Caliente.
The Torneo de Copa is a domestic tournament made up by teams from the Mexican First and Second Division. It returns after a 15-year hiatus. The last team to win it? Cruz Azul.
Now the Xolos will get a shot at making a mark in a new competition.
And it can begin to do so by taking against a former rival, a team haunted Xolos fans only three years ago.
It was Merida that helped delay Tijuana’s aspirations of reaching the First Division, Mexico’s top flight league.
“Los Venados” beat the Xolos in the Liga De Ascenso, or second division, promotional playoffs in 2009. It was the final leg of the 2009 semifinals.
Merida 1, Tijuana 0. That was aggregate score after a scoreless draw in the second game. It was May 24, 2009 when the Xolos had a one-man advantage, trying to find the net against a Merida team that bunkered in its own territory and defended for most of the match. Tijuana couldn’t find the equalizing goal, sending an Estadio Caliente crowd home with shattered hopes of their club moving on to Mexican soccer’s top echelon.
Tijuana would have to wait a bit longer to see a chance at a promotion.
A year later, the Xolos lost in the promotional final. Then in 2011, it beat Irapuato to earn that promotion and become part of the First Division.
The Torneo de Copa, which runs Tuesday through November 1. It features 14 teams from each division (First and Second) divided into seven groups. Matches are slated to be played every month, with home-and-home series against each team in their respective groups. Eight teams advance to the playoffs or “Liguilla.” Matches will be played during the same timeframe as the regular tournament, the Apertura 2012.
The Xolos are hoping to reach the knockout stage in the Copa tournament.
But coach Antonio Mohamed sees the Torneo de Copa as another avenue to use different players in the starting lineup. With the 2012 regular tournament, the Liga MX Apertura, just one week old, Mohamed could use most of the team’s offe season signings and backups during this tournament.
“We have two difficulties with the Torneo de Copa,” Mohamed said. “The travel in between the week could be hectic. We will have other players to use that probably wouldn’t play in the regular tournament.”
The Xolos travel to Merida July 31 in the second leg of this series. Then it travels to face Celaya Aug. 7, return to Estadio Caliente Aug. 21 to play Celaya in the second leg of that series.
Tijuana then plays Pumas Aug. 28 on the road and come home to play Pumas again Sept. 19.
“We will see what happens with that tournament,” Mohamed said. “It is our first time playing in it but we have to come out and play the best we can. It is another milestone in the history of this club.”
http://www.sandiegor...tone-for-Xolos/
Club Tijuana to play first match in revived Torneo de Copa tournament
by Ivan Orozco
July 24 2012
Another tournament, another milestone, another debut.
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles is slated to being competition in another platform Tuesday night. This time, the Xolos will play in their first “Torneo de Copa” when it hosts Merida FC at Estadio Caliente.
The Torneo de Copa is a domestic tournament made up by teams from the Mexican First and Second Division. It returns after a 15-year hiatus. The last team to win it? Cruz Azul.
Now the Xolos will get a shot at making a mark in a new competition.
And it can begin to do so by taking against a former rival, a team haunted Xolos fans only three years ago.
It was Merida that helped delay Tijuana’s aspirations of reaching the First Division, Mexico’s top flight league.
“Los Venados” beat the Xolos in the Liga De Ascenso, or second division, promotional playoffs in 2009. It was the final leg of the 2009 semifinals.
Merida 1, Tijuana 0. That was aggregate score after a scoreless draw in the second game. It was May 24, 2009 when the Xolos had a one-man advantage, trying to find the net against a Merida team that bunkered in its own territory and defended for most of the match. Tijuana couldn’t find the equalizing goal, sending an Estadio Caliente crowd home with shattered hopes of their club moving on to Mexican soccer’s top echelon.
Tijuana would have to wait a bit longer to see a chance at a promotion.
A year later, the Xolos lost in the promotional final. Then in 2011, it beat Irapuato to earn that promotion and become part of the First Division.
The Torneo de Copa, which runs Tuesday through November 1. It features 14 teams from each division (First and Second) divided into seven groups. Matches are slated to be played every month, with home-and-home series against each team in their respective groups. Eight teams advance to the playoffs or “Liguilla.” Matches will be played during the same timeframe as the regular tournament, the Apertura 2012.
The Xolos are hoping to reach the knockout stage in the Copa tournament.
But coach Antonio Mohamed sees the Torneo de Copa as another avenue to use different players in the starting lineup. With the 2012 regular tournament, the Liga MX Apertura, just one week old, Mohamed could use most of the team’s offe season signings and backups during this tournament.
“We have two difficulties with the Torneo de Copa,” Mohamed said. “The travel in between the week could be hectic. We will have other players to use that probably wouldn’t play in the regular tournament.”
The Xolos travel to Merida July 31 in the second leg of this series. Then it travels to face Celaya Aug. 7, return to Estadio Caliente Aug. 21 to play Celaya in the second leg of that series.
Tijuana then plays Pumas Aug. 28 on the road and come home to play Pumas again Sept. 19.
“We will see what happens with that tournament,” Mohamed said. “It is our first time playing in it but we have to come out and play the best we can. It is another milestone in the history of this club.”
http://www.sandiegor...tone-for-Xolos/
#44
HK70
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Posted 29 July 2012 - 12:27 AM
I missed the game but yikes........
Xolos embarrassed in Leon
Shorthanded Tijuana loses 4-0 to recently promoted club
by Ivan Orozco
July 27 2012
It was supposed to be a chance to spoil a party.
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles visited Mexico’s newest club in the First Division.
Club Leon was making its home debut in its return to the Primera Division since being absent from Mexico’s top league the last 10 years.
The Xolos could have ruined that return.
Instead, it was Leon who embarrassed a shorthanded Tijuana with a 4-0 rout Friday night in front of a sold out Estadio Leon in a Week 2 matchup of the 2012 Apertura Tournament.
The festive Leon crowd watched its team win its second straight match in the First Division, earning another three points to sit on top of the overall standings with six points heading into this weekend.
As for the Xolos, coach Antonio Mohamed’s squad suffered its first defeat of the tournament. Tijuana is now 1-1 heading into next week’s match against Pumas UNAM at Estadio Caliente.
And the Xolos will be without two of its starters as they serve red card suspensions. Veteran defender and team captain Javier Gandolfi will miss the Pumas match after he was ejected in the 58th minute against Leon for a reckless foul. Fernando Arce will also miss next week’s match. He was ejected in the 73rd minute against “Los Esmeraldas.”
Carlos Pena (31s t and 60th minute), Luis Montes (51st), and Hernan Burbano (59th minute) scored for Club Leon. His first goal came on a long blast that deflected off Xolos defenders and ricocheted into Tijuana’s net. Pena then ended Leono’s flurry of goals with his second score of the night.
Montes’ score came via a free kick that beat Xolos goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo for a 2-0 Leaon lead.
Burbano’s goal came via penalty kick after Gandolfi’s ejection for a 3-0 Esmeralda’s lead.
Leon could have scored once more but it had a goal by Sebastian Maz disallowed in the 25th minute. Maz sent a ball past Saucedo but not before he brought down the ball with his hands, prompting a whistle to end the play.
The Xolos loss was the club’s worst since losing 5-0 to Necaxa in a Liga de Ascenso semifinal playoff match three years ago.
Tijuana also blew a 2-0 second half lead against Monterrey last year, allowing Monterrey to score four unanswered goals for a comeback win.
http://www.sandiegor...rassed-in-Leon/
Xolos embarrassed in Leon
Shorthanded Tijuana loses 4-0 to recently promoted club
by Ivan Orozco
July 27 2012
It was supposed to be a chance to spoil a party.
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles visited Mexico’s newest club in the First Division.
Club Leon was making its home debut in its return to the Primera Division since being absent from Mexico’s top league the last 10 years.
The Xolos could have ruined that return.
Instead, it was Leon who embarrassed a shorthanded Tijuana with a 4-0 rout Friday night in front of a sold out Estadio Leon in a Week 2 matchup of the 2012 Apertura Tournament.
The festive Leon crowd watched its team win its second straight match in the First Division, earning another three points to sit on top of the overall standings with six points heading into this weekend.
As for the Xolos, coach Antonio Mohamed’s squad suffered its first defeat of the tournament. Tijuana is now 1-1 heading into next week’s match against Pumas UNAM at Estadio Caliente.
And the Xolos will be without two of its starters as they serve red card suspensions. Veteran defender and team captain Javier Gandolfi will miss the Pumas match after he was ejected in the 58th minute against Leon for a reckless foul. Fernando Arce will also miss next week’s match. He was ejected in the 73rd minute against “Los Esmeraldas.”
Carlos Pena (31s t and 60th minute), Luis Montes (51st), and Hernan Burbano (59th minute) scored for Club Leon. His first goal came on a long blast that deflected off Xolos defenders and ricocheted into Tijuana’s net. Pena then ended Leono’s flurry of goals with his second score of the night.
Montes’ score came via a free kick that beat Xolos goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo for a 2-0 Leaon lead.
Burbano’s goal came via penalty kick after Gandolfi’s ejection for a 3-0 Esmeralda’s lead.
Leon could have scored once more but it had a goal by Sebastian Maz disallowed in the 25th minute. Maz sent a ball past Saucedo but not before he brought down the ball with his hands, prompting a whistle to end the play.
The Xolos loss was the club’s worst since losing 5-0 to Necaxa in a Liga de Ascenso semifinal playoff match three years ago.
Tijuana also blew a 2-0 second half lead against Monterrey last year, allowing Monterrey to score four unanswered goals for a comeback win.
http://www.sandiegor...rassed-in-Leon/
#45
HK70
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Posted 06 August 2012 - 08:49 PM
Xolos scored early outclassing Pumas
Xolos beats one of Mexico’s top teams, former coach
by Ivan Orozco
August 4 2012
TIJUANA- Members of Mexican soccer club Pumas UNAM made their way on to the artificial turf at Estadio Caliente Friday night.
Some walked, other jogged onto their respective side of the field for warm ups to the sounds of jeers from the sold out stadium. That was expected of the 20,773 in attendance that came to see Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles beat Pumas 1-0 in a Week 3 matchup of the Apertura tournament with a Pablo Aguilar score in the 45th minute.
But some of those boos turned into scattered cheers as Pumas coach Joaquin del Olmo walked onto the playing field. Del Olmo was the last member of Pumas to exit the visiting team tunnel.
Del Olmo proceeded to visit with some of the Xolos players, particularly with those he coached when he was Tijuana’s manager. He hugged Xolos striker Raul Enriquez. He Spoke with defender Javier Gandolfi. But Del Olmo spent a little more time exchanging a hug with Xolos midfielder Joe Corona.
Corona and Del Olmo have a history together. It was del Olmo who gave Corona, a Sweetwater High and SDSU alumn, the chance to earn a slot in Mexican soccer.
That was when the Xolos were still part of the Liga de Ascenso or Second Division. That was four years ago. Corona was fresh off his first season playing collegiate soccer for the Aztecs. It was when Corona had decided to forfeit his partial scholarship at the University for an Opportunity to turn pro.
“(Del Olmo) is a person that I really respect,” Corona said. “He was the one who brought me to the first Division and it’s always going to be that way. But that’s another story. We are now rivals. But it feels nice to be able to play against a person who game me such a chance.”
Del Olmo, who coached the Xolos for three seasons before being fired last summer in favor of Antonio Mohamed after the Xolos started the 2011 Apertura season with one win in nine matches.
Xolos players protested with team administrators to keep del Olmo despite the lack of wins and scoring. The Xolos were often the better team but could not find the net with Del Olmo in charge. Corona was a del Olmo supporter. Del Olmo often used Corona in the starting lineup. Mohamed began to use Corona as a substitute when the new coach took over the team. Mohamed eventually plugged Corona in the starting lineup.
Corona started Friday night and played 70 minutes against Pumas before being subbed for by Richard Ruiz, who returned to action for the first time since suffering an injury last season.
Del Olmo got to see his team try to penetrate a stingy Xolos defense. Pumas, who came into the match unbeaten, couldn’t penetrate Tijuana’s five-man backline.
That appeared to bother del Olmo on a night of his return to his former home.
“This (Xolos) team doesn’t have a lot of players that were with me when I was coaching here,” a serene del Olmo said in the postgame news conference. “Every game is different, I don’t think that influenced in the result.”
When asked how a loss against his former team ranked in his career, del Olmo continued to try and shy away from his personal ties to Tijuana.
“Tijuana always has had a marvelous fan base,” del Olmo said. “The loss hurts because I am now with Pumas. I have great friends (in Tijuana), including players, but that’s it.”
It was the Xolos first victory against Pumas as members of the First Division. And they did it against their former coach, a man the city of Tijuana once idolized for bringing the club to Mexico’s top flight league.
http://www.sandiegor...classing-Pumas/
Xolos beats one of Mexico’s top teams, former coach
by Ivan Orozco
August 4 2012
TIJUANA- Members of Mexican soccer club Pumas UNAM made their way on to the artificial turf at Estadio Caliente Friday night.
Some walked, other jogged onto their respective side of the field for warm ups to the sounds of jeers from the sold out stadium. That was expected of the 20,773 in attendance that came to see Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles beat Pumas 1-0 in a Week 3 matchup of the Apertura tournament with a Pablo Aguilar score in the 45th minute.
But some of those boos turned into scattered cheers as Pumas coach Joaquin del Olmo walked onto the playing field. Del Olmo was the last member of Pumas to exit the visiting team tunnel.
Del Olmo proceeded to visit with some of the Xolos players, particularly with those he coached when he was Tijuana’s manager. He hugged Xolos striker Raul Enriquez. He Spoke with defender Javier Gandolfi. But Del Olmo spent a little more time exchanging a hug with Xolos midfielder Joe Corona.
Corona and Del Olmo have a history together. It was del Olmo who gave Corona, a Sweetwater High and SDSU alumn, the chance to earn a slot in Mexican soccer.
That was when the Xolos were still part of the Liga de Ascenso or Second Division. That was four years ago. Corona was fresh off his first season playing collegiate soccer for the Aztecs. It was when Corona had decided to forfeit his partial scholarship at the University for an Opportunity to turn pro.
“(Del Olmo) is a person that I really respect,” Corona said. “He was the one who brought me to the first Division and it’s always going to be that way. But that’s another story. We are now rivals. But it feels nice to be able to play against a person who game me such a chance.”
Del Olmo, who coached the Xolos for three seasons before being fired last summer in favor of Antonio Mohamed after the Xolos started the 2011 Apertura season with one win in nine matches.
Xolos players protested with team administrators to keep del Olmo despite the lack of wins and scoring. The Xolos were often the better team but could not find the net with Del Olmo in charge. Corona was a del Olmo supporter. Del Olmo often used Corona in the starting lineup. Mohamed began to use Corona as a substitute when the new coach took over the team. Mohamed eventually plugged Corona in the starting lineup.
Corona started Friday night and played 70 minutes against Pumas before being subbed for by Richard Ruiz, who returned to action for the first time since suffering an injury last season.
Del Olmo got to see his team try to penetrate a stingy Xolos defense. Pumas, who came into the match unbeaten, couldn’t penetrate Tijuana’s five-man backline.
That appeared to bother del Olmo on a night of his return to his former home.
“This (Xolos) team doesn’t have a lot of players that were with me when I was coaching here,” a serene del Olmo said in the postgame news conference. “Every game is different, I don’t think that influenced in the result.”
When asked how a loss against his former team ranked in his career, del Olmo continued to try and shy away from his personal ties to Tijuana.
“Tijuana always has had a marvelous fan base,” del Olmo said. “The loss hurts because I am now with Pumas. I have great friends (in Tijuana), including players, but that’s it.”
It was the Xolos first victory against Pumas as members of the First Division. And they did it against their former coach, a man the city of Tijuana once idolized for bringing the club to Mexico’s top flight league.
http://www.sandiegor...classing-Pumas/
#46
HK70
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Valued Contributor
Posted 17 September 2012 - 06:15 PM
Tijuana Superleader: Atlante 1-2 Xolos
Duvier Riascos and Alfredo Moreno scored for the Hounds
by Manuel R. Medina
September 17 2012
CANCÚN, QUINTANA ROO.- With another great performance by the Tijuana Club Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente and with changes made by manager Antonio Mohamed at the exact moment, the canine squad was able to impose 2 to 1 to the Potros de Hierro from Atlante. With this victory, the border hounds seized the first place in the scoring overview of the MX League.
The match was played in the field of Andrés Quintana Roo Stadium as a regular game in week 8 of the “Apertura” Tournament 2012.
The game
The first half was a midfield battle with the visitors barely dominating the field but not in a clear way.
During the first 45 minutes, the referee handed out a number of yellow cards after the match got “a little rough”: two for the locals and three for the visitors; that cooled their heads a bit.
For the second half, Mohamed decided to pull Ecuadorian player Fidel Martínez and give Richard Ruiz an opportunity, a move that revitalized the attack options.
This helped Duvier Riascos who, in minute 51 kicked with his left directly to the goal guarded by Jorge Villalpando.
Just a minute after that another great shot by Riascos that hit the post but Alfredo “Chango” Moreno was close enough to just push the ball and score the 2-0.
From that moment on Xolos dominated the match not even allowing Atlante to get a hold of the sphere, but at 88’ a great play by Esteban Paredes ended up passing Cirilo Saucedo and giving Atlante their first point.
This last minute goal by the Potros de Hierro infused them with new life as they fiercely tried to balance the game but the time would run up for them and everything would end with a victory for the visitors.
Next Tuesday the Tijuana Club will receive the visit of Pumas from Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM) during what will be the last week of the regular MX Cup schedule. On their part, they will be doing the same for Atlas’ Zorros. Both games will be held at Caliente Stadium.
http://www.sandiegor...ante-1-2-Xolos/
Duvier Riascos and Alfredo Moreno scored for the Hounds
by Manuel R. Medina
September 17 2012
CANCÚN, QUINTANA ROO.- With another great performance by the Tijuana Club Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente and with changes made by manager Antonio Mohamed at the exact moment, the canine squad was able to impose 2 to 1 to the Potros de Hierro from Atlante. With this victory, the border hounds seized the first place in the scoring overview of the MX League.
The match was played in the field of Andrés Quintana Roo Stadium as a regular game in week 8 of the “Apertura” Tournament 2012.
The game
The first half was a midfield battle with the visitors barely dominating the field but not in a clear way.
During the first 45 minutes, the referee handed out a number of yellow cards after the match got “a little rough”: two for the locals and three for the visitors; that cooled their heads a bit.
For the second half, Mohamed decided to pull Ecuadorian player Fidel Martínez and give Richard Ruiz an opportunity, a move that revitalized the attack options.
This helped Duvier Riascos who, in minute 51 kicked with his left directly to the goal guarded by Jorge Villalpando.
Just a minute after that another great shot by Riascos that hit the post but Alfredo “Chango” Moreno was close enough to just push the ball and score the 2-0.
From that moment on Xolos dominated the match not even allowing Atlante to get a hold of the sphere, but at 88’ a great play by Esteban Paredes ended up passing Cirilo Saucedo and giving Atlante their first point.
This last minute goal by the Potros de Hierro infused them with new life as they fiercely tried to balance the game but the time would run up for them and everything would end with a victory for the visitors.
Next Tuesday the Tijuana Club will receive the visit of Pumas from Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM) during what will be the last week of the regular MX Cup schedule. On their part, they will be doing the same for Atlas’ Zorros. Both games will be held at Caliente Stadium.
http://www.sandiegor...ante-1-2-Xolos/
#47
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Posted 09 October 2012 - 07:15 PM
Xolos 1–0 Toluca: Tijuana “bites” for first place
The only goal of the match was scored by Colombian forward Duvier Riascos
by Manuel R. Medina
October 7 2012
TIJUANA, BC.- Fans of Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente filled Estado Caliente to its maximum capacity, 22,333 fanatics, in order to watch how their team would “bite” Toluca Diablos Rojos with a lonely goal by Duvier Riascos to get back into the first position of the standings of the Mexican Primera División.
This match was played as part of Week 12 of the 2012 Apertura tournament of the Liga MX.
The game
The match started with both squads looking for a chance to score, but it was until the 15th minute when attacker Duvier Riascos got a chance to shot, the ball rebounded on the defensive line and an offside Fernando Arce was able to shoot and get a corner kick.
Tijuana continued with an attacking-mind and at the 26 minute mark, a shot from Arce was deflected by Fidel Martínez; the Ecuadorian was not able to control the ball and the rebound was caught easily by Alfredo Tavalera.
The next play cause a lot of polemic: Martínez put a through ball for Riascos, and the Colombian forward was pulled down by goalkeeper Talavera but referee José Alfredo Peñaloza did not saw a foul.
The pressure by Xolos was too much for Toluca, but the goal did not came; at the 38th minute, a free kick was taken by Tijuana-born Arce, the ball got inside the box and Pablo César Aguilar deflected the ball with his back, hitting the horizontal bar.
Both squads would go on to half time with the scoreboard showing a 0-0 temporal result.
The actions on the second half started right away, but a great shot by Tijuana was saved miraculously by Luis Tejada on the goal line.
But Toluca could not cope with the pressure by Xolos and at the 51 minute Riascos entered the box by dribbling the ball through defenders Édgar Dueñas and Gerardo Rodríguez, and when he was alone against Talavera, the Colombian attacker shot to put the ball inside the net for the lead.
During the celebration of this goal, referee Peñaloza went to the corner to show Martínez the direct red card for a supposedly violent show, but after talking it over, the ref choose to retire the red card from the Ecuadorian.
For the next minutes the show was completely red and black, with Xolos having lots of opportunities to score from Riascos, Édgar Castillo and other teammates. Toluca was left with 10 players after Antonio Naelson “Sinha” was sent off after receiving his second yellow card of the match.
Peñaloza signaled the end of the game and Tijuana recovered the first position of the Standings.
Next week, Xolos will visit the Comarca Lagunera to play against Santos Laguna, before coming back to take on Cruz Azul at Estadio Caliente.
Manuel.Medina@SanDiegoRed.com
http://www.sandiegor...or-first-place/
The only goal of the match was scored by Colombian forward Duvier Riascos
by Manuel R. Medina
October 7 2012
TIJUANA, BC.- Fans of Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente filled Estado Caliente to its maximum capacity, 22,333 fanatics, in order to watch how their team would “bite” Toluca Diablos Rojos with a lonely goal by Duvier Riascos to get back into the first position of the standings of the Mexican Primera División.
This match was played as part of Week 12 of the 2012 Apertura tournament of the Liga MX.
The game
The match started with both squads looking for a chance to score, but it was until the 15th minute when attacker Duvier Riascos got a chance to shot, the ball rebounded on the defensive line and an offside Fernando Arce was able to shoot and get a corner kick.
Tijuana continued with an attacking-mind and at the 26 minute mark, a shot from Arce was deflected by Fidel Martínez; the Ecuadorian was not able to control the ball and the rebound was caught easily by Alfredo Tavalera.
The next play cause a lot of polemic: Martínez put a through ball for Riascos, and the Colombian forward was pulled down by goalkeeper Talavera but referee José Alfredo Peñaloza did not saw a foul.
The pressure by Xolos was too much for Toluca, but the goal did not came; at the 38th minute, a free kick was taken by Tijuana-born Arce, the ball got inside the box and Pablo César Aguilar deflected the ball with his back, hitting the horizontal bar.
Both squads would go on to half time with the scoreboard showing a 0-0 temporal result.
The actions on the second half started right away, but a great shot by Tijuana was saved miraculously by Luis Tejada on the goal line.
But Toluca could not cope with the pressure by Xolos and at the 51 minute Riascos entered the box by dribbling the ball through defenders Édgar Dueñas and Gerardo Rodríguez, and when he was alone against Talavera, the Colombian attacker shot to put the ball inside the net for the lead.
During the celebration of this goal, referee Peñaloza went to the corner to show Martínez the direct red card for a supposedly violent show, but after talking it over, the ref choose to retire the red card from the Ecuadorian.
For the next minutes the show was completely red and black, with Xolos having lots of opportunities to score from Riascos, Édgar Castillo and other teammates. Toluca was left with 10 players after Antonio Naelson “Sinha” was sent off after receiving his second yellow card of the match.
Peñaloza signaled the end of the game and Tijuana recovered the first position of the Standings.
Next week, Xolos will visit the Comarca Lagunera to play against Santos Laguna, before coming back to take on Cruz Azul at Estadio Caliente.
Manuel.Medina@SanDiegoRed.com
http://www.sandiegor...or-first-place/
#48
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Posted 11 October 2012 - 10:57 PM
Xolos will have one more player out; a total of 5 now
Edgar Castillo suffers injury in the U.S. camp and Javier Gandolfi will be suspended from the game against Santos.
by Manuel R. Medina
October 11 2012
TIJUANA, BC.- If this week was already going to be complicated for Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente who will be playing against Santos on Saturday, it will now be even more complicated due to the bad news that was received this past Wednesday night, that it will be now a total of 5 players who will be out for this game.
It was informed that the U.S. citizen defender Edgar Castillo, suffered an injury during training in the U.S. camp, and will now return back to the border town to nurse the injury and recover. This new change of events will now reverse the decision that was originally made by the Mexican Futbol Federation (FMF), which the Argentinian captain Javier Gandolfi was going to be allowed to play in the game against Santos, and his suspension was going to be postponed until the game versus Cruz Azul.
Originally article 26 of the rule book was going to be applied that would of allowed Gandolfi to play, but now with the return of Castillo, that only makes 2 players and not 3 that will be out due to their recruitment by their national team, midfielder Joe Corona for the U.S and defender Pablo Cesar Aguilar for Paraguay.
Xolos head coach Antonio Mohamed now his hands full going into this next game with a total of 5 players out, Gandolfis official suspension, and not to mention that Castillo’s injury now adds a total of 2 players to the injury list along with Cristian Pellerano.
This Thursday will be the last training session at home for the team, who will then travel to Torreon, Coahuila, where they will focus on hopefully being able to defeat Santos Laguna.
The match against the Aztec soccer champions, will take place on Saturday 7p.m. local time, 5p.m. pacific (PST) at the stadium in Territorio Santos Modelo, as part of week 13 of the Apertura tournament 2012 of the Liga MX.
Xolos currently are in the first position of the Apertura 2012 tournament since they won against Toluca last week.
http://www.sandiegor...total-of-5-now/
Edgar Castillo suffers injury in the U.S. camp and Javier Gandolfi will be suspended from the game against Santos.
by Manuel R. Medina
October 11 2012
TIJUANA, BC.- If this week was already going to be complicated for Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente who will be playing against Santos on Saturday, it will now be even more complicated due to the bad news that was received this past Wednesday night, that it will be now a total of 5 players who will be out for this game.
It was informed that the U.S. citizen defender Edgar Castillo, suffered an injury during training in the U.S. camp, and will now return back to the border town to nurse the injury and recover. This new change of events will now reverse the decision that was originally made by the Mexican Futbol Federation (FMF), which the Argentinian captain Javier Gandolfi was going to be allowed to play in the game against Santos, and his suspension was going to be postponed until the game versus Cruz Azul.
Originally article 26 of the rule book was going to be applied that would of allowed Gandolfi to play, but now with the return of Castillo, that only makes 2 players and not 3 that will be out due to their recruitment by their national team, midfielder Joe Corona for the U.S and defender Pablo Cesar Aguilar for Paraguay.
Xolos head coach Antonio Mohamed now his hands full going into this next game with a total of 5 players out, Gandolfis official suspension, and not to mention that Castillo’s injury now adds a total of 2 players to the injury list along with Cristian Pellerano.
This Thursday will be the last training session at home for the team, who will then travel to Torreon, Coahuila, where they will focus on hopefully being able to defeat Santos Laguna.
The match against the Aztec soccer champions, will take place on Saturday 7p.m. local time, 5p.m. pacific (PST) at the stadium in Territorio Santos Modelo, as part of week 13 of the Apertura tournament 2012 of the Liga MX.
Xolos currently are in the first position of the Apertura 2012 tournament since they won against Toluca last week.
http://www.sandiegor...total-of-5-now/
#49
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Posted 19 October 2012 - 12:46 AM
Santos 2-2 Xolos: Tijuana maintains first place
Duvier Riascos scores 5th goal of the tournament and Greg Garza scores his first goal in division one
by Manuel R. Medina
October 13 2012
TORREON,COAHUILA.- In a very exciting game Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles was able to maintain their first place position in the Mexican division one league, after tying 2-2 against the champions Santos at Territorio Santos Modelo stadium (TSM).
The match played was part of week 13 of the tournament Apertura 2012 of the Liga MX, and with this result the canine squad maintain themselves as leaders on the boards, with 28 points followed by the Diablos Rojos of Toluca that has 26 points, although Toluca’s game against Rayados of Monterrey was postponed until November.
The Game
A very close match was expected, due to the amount of players that were not going to play, 10 in total adding from both sides.
It would be on the 8th minute when the first goal would be scored by Daniel Luduena, who came in on the left side inside the goalie box area, where he took a shot at goal with a well-placed kick that the goalie Cirilo Saucedo was not able to block, and put Santos up on the score board.
There were very good offensive attacks by both teams, which the defense and goalies were able to conquer, but at the 29th minute the forward Duvier Riascos took a shot at goal, that was rejected by the goalie Oswaldo Sanchez, but the ball rebounded and Gregory Garza scored his first goal in the ultimate proving grounds.
The first half would end with a lot of excitement.
For the second half throughout the entire 45 minutes, the game continued with a good rhythm and filled with action, that was pleasing to the fans who attending the TSM stadium.
At the 69th minute Riascos made a pass to the tijuanense Fernando Arce, who made a screen pass to Alfredo “Chango” Moreno, which resulted in the Columbians fifth goal of the season, and celebrated the goal by doing the snake.
Everything seemed to indicate that Xolos might be walking away with a win from Torreon, Coahuila, but at the 74th minute the Argentinian Luduena would shoot the free shot from all the way outside the goalie area, and with a magnificent shot at goal like a true master scored the tying goal.
The time would continue to run, and both teams continued to attack and came close to scoring, but the game would conclude with a score of 2-2 that would give both teams one point each.
http://www.sandiegor...ns-first-place/
Duvier Riascos scores 5th goal of the tournament and Greg Garza scores his first goal in division one
by Manuel R. Medina
October 13 2012
TORREON,COAHUILA.- In a very exciting game Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles was able to maintain their first place position in the Mexican division one league, after tying 2-2 against the champions Santos at Territorio Santos Modelo stadium (TSM).
The match played was part of week 13 of the tournament Apertura 2012 of the Liga MX, and with this result the canine squad maintain themselves as leaders on the boards, with 28 points followed by the Diablos Rojos of Toluca that has 26 points, although Toluca’s game against Rayados of Monterrey was postponed until November.
The Game
A very close match was expected, due to the amount of players that were not going to play, 10 in total adding from both sides.
It would be on the 8th minute when the first goal would be scored by Daniel Luduena, who came in on the left side inside the goalie box area, where he took a shot at goal with a well-placed kick that the goalie Cirilo Saucedo was not able to block, and put Santos up on the score board.
There were very good offensive attacks by both teams, which the defense and goalies were able to conquer, but at the 29th minute the forward Duvier Riascos took a shot at goal, that was rejected by the goalie Oswaldo Sanchez, but the ball rebounded and Gregory Garza scored his first goal in the ultimate proving grounds.
The first half would end with a lot of excitement.
For the second half throughout the entire 45 minutes, the game continued with a good rhythm and filled with action, that was pleasing to the fans who attending the TSM stadium.
At the 69th minute Riascos made a pass to the tijuanense Fernando Arce, who made a screen pass to Alfredo “Chango” Moreno, which resulted in the Columbians fifth goal of the season, and celebrated the goal by doing the snake.
Everything seemed to indicate that Xolos might be walking away with a win from Torreon, Coahuila, but at the 74th minute the Argentinian Luduena would shoot the free shot from all the way outside the goalie area, and with a magnificent shot at goal like a true master scored the tying goal.
The time would continue to run, and both teams continued to attack and came close to scoring, but the game would conclude with a score of 2-2 that would give both teams one point each.
http://www.sandiegor...ns-first-place/
#50
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Posted 26 October 2012 - 10:54 PM
Tijuana's Xolos look to continue their undefeated streak
The canine squad will play against Monarcas Morelia
by Manuel R. Medina
October 26 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – With the main goal to continue on an undefeated streak, Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente is looking to qualify for the playoffs of the Mexican soccer league and also for the Copa Libertadores tournament, but first they will play again this Saturday against Monarcas Morelia.
With a victory the team would not only qualify for the playoffs, but would be also locking in a spot for next year’s Copa Libertadores of America 2013.
The match against Monarca Morelia will be played this Saturday at the Morelos stadium at 7p.m. local time, 5p.m. pacific standard time as part of week 15 of the Liga MX.
Both Joe Corona and Alfredo Moreno pointed out the importance of the team to continue being competitive to make the team grow even more, which has been part of the foundation that has strengthen the team.
“It’s important for me as for anyone else on this team to compete and get a starters position, but at the same time we support and encourage each other, of course the competition is friendly and we are all glad to be part of this, and as far as for me I feel good and eager to play and contribute to the group”, said Corona, who debuted with the U.S. national team on October 16th in the game against Guatemala in the elimination games of the Concacaf.
Alberto Moreno spoke about the commitment of the team to continue pressing forward with the same good rhythm they have going on, and also just to continue on playing the next game always like if it was the most important one.
“We are making the effort to prepare ourselves physically, and just keep the next game in mind to be able to obtain those next three points.
There is a good coordination between the coaching staff and the players, and we also understand the results that they want and are requiring from us”, said the Argentinian player from Club Tijuana.
Besides trying to secure their spot into the playoffs for the Apertura 2012 tournament in the Liga MX, the Xoloitzcuintles are also trying to add up as many points as possible for what is left of the season.
“We will continue to play with the same conviction in getting more victories to continue to gain more points, and for the team to continue playing with the same confidence, but it’s not over yet and nothing has been written in stone, so we must continue performing well and adding up those points”, concluded Joe Corona.
http://www.sandiegor...efeated-streak/
The canine squad will play against Monarcas Morelia
by Manuel R. Medina
October 26 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – With the main goal to continue on an undefeated streak, Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente is looking to qualify for the playoffs of the Mexican soccer league and also for the Copa Libertadores tournament, but first they will play again this Saturday against Monarcas Morelia.
With a victory the team would not only qualify for the playoffs, but would be also locking in a spot for next year’s Copa Libertadores of America 2013.
The match against Monarca Morelia will be played this Saturday at the Morelos stadium at 7p.m. local time, 5p.m. pacific standard time as part of week 15 of the Liga MX.
Both Joe Corona and Alfredo Moreno pointed out the importance of the team to continue being competitive to make the team grow even more, which has been part of the foundation that has strengthen the team.
“It’s important for me as for anyone else on this team to compete and get a starters position, but at the same time we support and encourage each other, of course the competition is friendly and we are all glad to be part of this, and as far as for me I feel good and eager to play and contribute to the group”, said Corona, who debuted with the U.S. national team on October 16th in the game against Guatemala in the elimination games of the Concacaf.
Alberto Moreno spoke about the commitment of the team to continue pressing forward with the same good rhythm they have going on, and also just to continue on playing the next game always like if it was the most important one.
“We are making the effort to prepare ourselves physically, and just keep the next game in mind to be able to obtain those next three points.
There is a good coordination between the coaching staff and the players, and we also understand the results that they want and are requiring from us”, said the Argentinian player from Club Tijuana.
Besides trying to secure their spot into the playoffs for the Apertura 2012 tournament in the Liga MX, the Xoloitzcuintles are also trying to add up as many points as possible for what is left of the season.
“We will continue to play with the same conviction in getting more victories to continue to gain more points, and for the team to continue playing with the same confidence, but it’s not over yet and nothing has been written in stone, so we must continue performing well and adding up those points”, concluded Joe Corona.
http://www.sandiegor...efeated-streak/
#51
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Posted 29 October 2012 - 11:45 PM
Tijuana's Xolos qualifies for playoffs
For the 2nd time in 3 seasons Xoloitzcuintles make it to the next round
MORELIA, MICHOACAN.- With a very good performance and knowing that they were playing against a very high level skilled team, Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente tied 1-1 againts Monarcas Morelia, which places them in first place again on the general leader boards in the competition, and makes them the first team to qualify to the playoffs in the Mexican soccer tournament.
With this result Tijuana becomes the leader again with 30 points, followed by the Diablos Rojos of Toluca with 29 points.
The qualification to quarter finals by the Tijuana team is due to their tie with Morelia, and the victory that Rayados of Monterrey had over Santos Laguna, and whatever happens from now on will not matter, because the canine squad from Tijuana will not be out of the first 8 spots.
The match was part of week 15 of the 2012 Apertura tournament of the Liga MX, which was played at the Morelos stadium in front of a very poor crowd attendance
The Game
Head coach of the Xoloitzcuintles Antonio Mohamed sent his strongest players to the field first and only made two substitutions, which were Richard Ruiz for the injured player Leandro Augusto and Diego Olsina as left forward instead of both Fidel Martinez and Joe Corona, who both sat on the bench.
Xolos came into the game with everything they had, and barely at the 10th minute mark of the game, Alfredo Moreno received a floating pass, which he headed back to the Columbian forward Duvier Riascos who just directed his shot at goal towards the left and put the team up 0-1.
About 10 minutes now went by, and Pablo Cesar Aguilar would lose his mark on Ricardo Salinas, who was pushed down by Aguilar out of desperation inside the penalty area, which as of the result of that play the referee awarded a penalty kick for the home team.
Miguel Sabah took the penalty kick, and the shot he took was a magnificent one that would tie up the game 1-1 on the scoreboards.
The game continued with both teams going back and forth with no results, by which Tijuana also lost a lot of possession of the ball and was not able to accomplish anything else in the first half, that would come to an end when the referee would blow his whistle for the end of the first half.
The second half was completely dominated by Morelia, who did not give any room to the red and black team to react and make some plays.
The substitutions of both Gregory Garza for Olsina, and Corona for Moreno in the second half would not have any affects to the score of the game, in which a point was earned by both teams for the tie.
For next week’s game the Xolos will play against San Luis on November 3rd at 7:30p.m. Tijuana local time and the tickets for the game will go on sale starting on Monday at Estadio Caliente.
http://www.sandiegor...s-for-playoffs/
For the 2nd time in 3 seasons Xoloitzcuintles make it to the next round
MORELIA, MICHOACAN.- With a very good performance and knowing that they were playing against a very high level skilled team, Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente tied 1-1 againts Monarcas Morelia, which places them in first place again on the general leader boards in the competition, and makes them the first team to qualify to the playoffs in the Mexican soccer tournament.
With this result Tijuana becomes the leader again with 30 points, followed by the Diablos Rojos of Toluca with 29 points.
The qualification to quarter finals by the Tijuana team is due to their tie with Morelia, and the victory that Rayados of Monterrey had over Santos Laguna, and whatever happens from now on will not matter, because the canine squad from Tijuana will not be out of the first 8 spots.
The match was part of week 15 of the 2012 Apertura tournament of the Liga MX, which was played at the Morelos stadium in front of a very poor crowd attendance
The Game
Head coach of the Xoloitzcuintles Antonio Mohamed sent his strongest players to the field first and only made two substitutions, which were Richard Ruiz for the injured player Leandro Augusto and Diego Olsina as left forward instead of both Fidel Martinez and Joe Corona, who both sat on the bench.
Xolos came into the game with everything they had, and barely at the 10th minute mark of the game, Alfredo Moreno received a floating pass, which he headed back to the Columbian forward Duvier Riascos who just directed his shot at goal towards the left and put the team up 0-1.
About 10 minutes now went by, and Pablo Cesar Aguilar would lose his mark on Ricardo Salinas, who was pushed down by Aguilar out of desperation inside the penalty area, which as of the result of that play the referee awarded a penalty kick for the home team.
Miguel Sabah took the penalty kick, and the shot he took was a magnificent one that would tie up the game 1-1 on the scoreboards.
The game continued with both teams going back and forth with no results, by which Tijuana also lost a lot of possession of the ball and was not able to accomplish anything else in the first half, that would come to an end when the referee would blow his whistle for the end of the first half.
The second half was completely dominated by Morelia, who did not give any room to the red and black team to react and make some plays.
The substitutions of both Gregory Garza for Olsina, and Corona for Moreno in the second half would not have any affects to the score of the game, in which a point was earned by both teams for the tie.
For next week’s game the Xolos will play against San Luis on November 3rd at 7:30p.m. Tijuana local time and the tickets for the game will go on sale starting on Monday at Estadio Caliente.
http://www.sandiegor...s-for-playoffs/
#52
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Posted 01 November 2012 - 09:54 PM
Xolos one step away from the Copa Libertadores tournament
They must win saturday's game
by Manuel R. Medina
November 1 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente will playing probably their most important game of the season this Saturday against San Luis, which if they are able to come up with a win along with other contributing factors, it maybe be possible for them to secure their pass to the Copa Libertadores of America 2013.
Only four teams could possible stop the Xolos from qualifying to the biggest soccer tournament in Latin America, and those teams are Toluca, Leon, Club America and Cruz Azul.
According to the rules of competition of the Apertura tournament 2012 of the Liga Mx, the first 2 teams who are at the top of the general leader boards will be able to qualify directly to the Cup, and the team who stands in the third position will have to earn their pass by playing other teams from Latin American countries in a small wild card playoff matches.
The Mexican soccer league teams who definitely cannot qualify for the Copa Libertadores are Tigres of Nuevo Leon, Santos, Monterrey and Chivas of Guadalajara because they are currently participating in the Champions league of the Concacaf 2012-2013.
Currently Tijuana has 30 points total, and both Leon and America have 27 points each and are in 3rd and 4th place while Cruz Azul has 25 points.
There are a lot of factors that can either help Xolos qualify or not to the big tournament, and there are too many to list, but there are a few clear combinations that we can list which are:
The clearest result that can help Xolos obtain their pass is if they can win on Saturday, which will bring them up to 33 points, and if Club America loses this weekend and with one game left to play after, they would only add up a total of 30 points which still leaves Xolos ahead on the board and qualifying to tournament.
If Xolos win and Club America ties in their game, Tijuana will still add up to 33 points and America will be at 28 points with the possibility of only having a total of 31 points if they win their last game.
On the other hand if things are the other way around, where if America wins against Pachuca this Saturday and the Xolos lose, but America will still not the advantage over Xolos to qualify, but that will all depend also on what the result of the game between Toluca and Leon will be, which Leon will still have a chance to qualify also if they can win their last game which is against Chivas of Guadalajara.
In case Tijuana ties and Club America loses, then by mathematical calculations the decision would have to wait until the result of each team of their last game of the season, which will decide definitely who will be qualifying to Copa Libertadores.
On Saturday by the time game time comes around for Xolos, they will already know the result of the game of Club America vs. Pachuca, which then depending of that result they will also know if they are qualified or not for Copa Libertardores of America 2013.
Manuel.Medina@sandiegored.com
http://www.sandiegor...res-tournament/
They must win saturday's game
by Manuel R. Medina
November 1 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente will playing probably their most important game of the season this Saturday against San Luis, which if they are able to come up with a win along with other contributing factors, it maybe be possible for them to secure their pass to the Copa Libertadores of America 2013.
Only four teams could possible stop the Xolos from qualifying to the biggest soccer tournament in Latin America, and those teams are Toluca, Leon, Club America and Cruz Azul.
According to the rules of competition of the Apertura tournament 2012 of the Liga Mx, the first 2 teams who are at the top of the general leader boards will be able to qualify directly to the Cup, and the team who stands in the third position will have to earn their pass by playing other teams from Latin American countries in a small wild card playoff matches.
The Mexican soccer league teams who definitely cannot qualify for the Copa Libertadores are Tigres of Nuevo Leon, Santos, Monterrey and Chivas of Guadalajara because they are currently participating in the Champions league of the Concacaf 2012-2013.
Currently Tijuana has 30 points total, and both Leon and America have 27 points each and are in 3rd and 4th place while Cruz Azul has 25 points.
There are a lot of factors that can either help Xolos qualify or not to the big tournament, and there are too many to list, but there are a few clear combinations that we can list which are:
The clearest result that can help Xolos obtain their pass is if they can win on Saturday, which will bring them up to 33 points, and if Club America loses this weekend and with one game left to play after, they would only add up a total of 30 points which still leaves Xolos ahead on the board and qualifying to tournament.
If Xolos win and Club America ties in their game, Tijuana will still add up to 33 points and America will be at 28 points with the possibility of only having a total of 31 points if they win their last game.
On the other hand if things are the other way around, where if America wins against Pachuca this Saturday and the Xolos lose, but America will still not the advantage over Xolos to qualify, but that will all depend also on what the result of the game between Toluca and Leon will be, which Leon will still have a chance to qualify also if they can win their last game which is against Chivas of Guadalajara.
In case Tijuana ties and Club America loses, then by mathematical calculations the decision would have to wait until the result of each team of their last game of the season, which will decide definitely who will be qualifying to Copa Libertadores.
On Saturday by the time game time comes around for Xolos, they will already know the result of the game of Club America vs. Pachuca, which then depending of that result they will also know if they are qualified or not for Copa Libertardores of America 2013.
Manuel.Medina@sandiegored.com
http://www.sandiegor...res-tournament/
#53
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Posted 05 November 2012 - 10:26 PM
Xolos 0-0 San Luis: Tijuana continues to be undefeated at home
Qualifying for the Copa Libertadores will have to wait one more week
by Manuel R. Medina
November 5 2012
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente tied with San Luis, in their last home game of the regular season in front of a crowed that filled the house at Estadio Caliente.
This match was part of week 16th of the Apertura tournament 2012 in the Liga MX, and for the first time in division one in the Mexican soccer league, the team finishes the regular season going undefeated at home.
The Game
After only 5 minutes into the game, the player from Tijuana Fernando Arce took a shot at goal from all the way outside the goalie box area, which was deflected easily by the goalie Oscar “the rabbit” Perez that sent the next play to be a corner kick.
The play action throughout the game was very few and slow, which the home team maintain most of the time possession of the ball, and it was not until the 22nd minute of the first half, which Sebastian Fernandez fired a shot towards the goal that was being defended by Cirilo Saucedo.
The most exciting play of the game was at the 30th minute, where Duvier Riascos received possession of the ball, and sent a floating pass towards Alfredo Moreno who was not able to reach the ball, which also passed by Gregory Garza who was in a good position as well, but also was unable to make any contact with the ball.
At around minute 41 Edgar Castillo charged forward with a team play, in which he surpassed the defenders from San Luis and crossed the ball to Raul Nava, who was not able to shoot the ball and the ball then was left to Arce who took a shot, but nothing resulted from this.
The first half now ended and both teams went to the lockers looking for another strategy for the second half of the game.
Throughout the second half of the game, Xolos continued to have possession of the ball, which did not allow the opposing team to score, but there were no explosive plays like in other occasions that would lead to a score in their favor.
Next week Xolos will be visiting Chivas Rayadas of Guadalajara, hoping to qualify for the Copa Libertadores of America.
The game will be played at the Omnilife Stadium on November 11th at 5p.m. local time and 3p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).
http://www.sandiegor...feated-at-home/
Qualifying for the Copa Libertadores will have to wait one more week
by Manuel R. Medina
November 5 2012
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente tied with San Luis, in their last home game of the regular season in front of a crowed that filled the house at Estadio Caliente.
This match was part of week 16th of the Apertura tournament 2012 in the Liga MX, and for the first time in division one in the Mexican soccer league, the team finishes the regular season going undefeated at home.
The Game
After only 5 minutes into the game, the player from Tijuana Fernando Arce took a shot at goal from all the way outside the goalie box area, which was deflected easily by the goalie Oscar “the rabbit” Perez that sent the next play to be a corner kick.
The play action throughout the game was very few and slow, which the home team maintain most of the time possession of the ball, and it was not until the 22nd minute of the first half, which Sebastian Fernandez fired a shot towards the goal that was being defended by Cirilo Saucedo.
The most exciting play of the game was at the 30th minute, where Duvier Riascos received possession of the ball, and sent a floating pass towards Alfredo Moreno who was not able to reach the ball, which also passed by Gregory Garza who was in a good position as well, but also was unable to make any contact with the ball.
At around minute 41 Edgar Castillo charged forward with a team play, in which he surpassed the defenders from San Luis and crossed the ball to Raul Nava, who was not able to shoot the ball and the ball then was left to Arce who took a shot, but nothing resulted from this.
The first half now ended and both teams went to the lockers looking for another strategy for the second half of the game.
Throughout the second half of the game, Xolos continued to have possession of the ball, which did not allow the opposing team to score, but there were no explosive plays like in other occasions that would lead to a score in their favor.
Next week Xolos will be visiting Chivas Rayadas of Guadalajara, hoping to qualify for the Copa Libertadores of America.
The game will be played at the Omnilife Stadium on November 11th at 5p.m. local time and 3p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).
http://www.sandiegor...feated-at-home/
#54
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Posted 07 November 2012 - 10:33 PM
Xolos closing out the 2012 season
They will be going up against Chivas of Guadalajara on Sunday’s game.
by Manuel R. Medina
November 7 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – With their eyes set on qualifying for the Copa Libertadores of America, Club Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente will be put to the test this coming Sunday on a game against Chivas of Guadalajara, where they are looking to close out their regular season with a bang in the Apertura Tournament 2012 of the Liga MX.
The match is scheduled for November 11th at 5pm Mexico City local time, and 3p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) at the Omnilife Stadium.
The red and black team is expecting to have an enormous amount of support, in which they have put together a charter flight for the fans that will be able to fly out to the game, and watch their favorite players go up against Mexico’s team who has the largest amount of fans worldwide, Chivas of Guadalajara.
In order to qualify for the most important Latin American tournament, Club Tijuana will need to defeat Chivas with any possible score in their favor, and with a win they will be able to secure their spot to the tournament and also become the super leaders of the general positions boards.
Currently Club Tijuana has 31 points and is positioned in the number one spot on the boards, followed by the Red Devils of Toluca with 30 points. However by beating Guadalajara in Sunday’s game, there will not be a single team who can surpass them on their qualification and Xolos would be able to enjoy two prizes for the price of one.
As the team continues to train and prepare for Sundays match, the 3 points that are needed to achieve the team goal has been on every players mind this week, and if this goal becomes a reality, then right after the game Xoloitzcuintles will know who their opponent will be in the playoffs, which their first game would be an away game on either Wednesday or Thursday of next week, and play at home for the next game that will be held either on Saturday or Sunday.
http://www.sandiegor...he-2012-season/
They will be going up against Chivas of Guadalajara on Sunday’s game.
by Manuel R. Medina
November 7 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – With their eyes set on qualifying for the Copa Libertadores of America, Club Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente will be put to the test this coming Sunday on a game against Chivas of Guadalajara, where they are looking to close out their regular season with a bang in the Apertura Tournament 2012 of the Liga MX.
The match is scheduled for November 11th at 5pm Mexico City local time, and 3p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) at the Omnilife Stadium.
The red and black team is expecting to have an enormous amount of support, in which they have put together a charter flight for the fans that will be able to fly out to the game, and watch their favorite players go up against Mexico’s team who has the largest amount of fans worldwide, Chivas of Guadalajara.
In order to qualify for the most important Latin American tournament, Club Tijuana will need to defeat Chivas with any possible score in their favor, and with a win they will be able to secure their spot to the tournament and also become the super leaders of the general positions boards.
Currently Club Tijuana has 31 points and is positioned in the number one spot on the boards, followed by the Red Devils of Toluca with 30 points. However by beating Guadalajara in Sunday’s game, there will not be a single team who can surpass them on their qualification and Xolos would be able to enjoy two prizes for the price of one.
As the team continues to train and prepare for Sundays match, the 3 points that are needed to achieve the team goal has been on every players mind this week, and if this goal becomes a reality, then right after the game Xoloitzcuintles will know who their opponent will be in the playoffs, which their first game would be an away game on either Wednesday or Thursday of next week, and play at home for the next game that will be held either on Saturday or Sunday.
http://www.sandiegor...he-2012-season/
#55
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Posted 12 November 2012 - 05:40 PM
Chivas 0-2 Xolos: Tijuana qualifies to the Copa Libertadores
They will also be testing themselves against Monterrey in the quarterfinals of the playoffs
by Manuel R. Medina
November 12 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – Yesterday, Xolos surprised Chivas with a 2 goals in the first two minutes of the game, and finished the game with the victory against the team from Guadalajara, and close out the regular season in great fashion by also qualifying for the Copa Libertadores for the first time in the team’s history.
Xolos finished in 2nd position overall on the general leaders board for the season, in a match played in front of 37,000 sports fans at the Omnilife stadium as part of week 17 of the Apertura tournament 2012 of the Liga MX.
For the first time in history, the most prestigious Latin American soccer tournament will be in Tijuana, which is the farthest point up north that it will be played.
In December it will be known of what position Xolos will be placed in as the 2nd Mexican team in the tournament.
The Red Devils of Toluca finished as the super leader in the general leaders board, with 34 points while Xolos finished with 33 points and places them in 2nd.
With a very poor played game on behalf of Chivas, Xolos took advantage since the start of the game where about 10 seconds into the match, Hector Reynoso made a defensive error by not getting the ball out of the danger zone correctly, which then Alfredo “Chango” Moreno came and rebounded the ball and kicked it into the net on the upper left corner of the goal that was being defended by goalie Luis Michel.
Only 2 minutes after, the goalie from Chivas rejected a header from Tijuana in a bad way, which the forward from Columbia Duvier Riascos hit the ball in skimming a player and sending the ball to the goalies left side, and now the score was 0-2.
The team from Guadalajara was not able to react to the score that was not in their favor , which Xolos then only played as if they were in a training session for the rest of the game, but with the purpose to save energy for this week’s upcoming match.
With this result, Xolos will now go up against Rayados of Monterrey on Thursday, at an away game that will be played on the field of the Tecnologico Stadium, while the next game for Xolos will be at home against Monterrey as well at the Estadio Caliente field on Sunday.
http://www.sandiegor...a-Libertadores/
They will also be testing themselves against Monterrey in the quarterfinals of the playoffs
by Manuel R. Medina
November 12 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – Yesterday, Xolos surprised Chivas with a 2 goals in the first two minutes of the game, and finished the game with the victory against the team from Guadalajara, and close out the regular season in great fashion by also qualifying for the Copa Libertadores for the first time in the team’s history.
Xolos finished in 2nd position overall on the general leaders board for the season, in a match played in front of 37,000 sports fans at the Omnilife stadium as part of week 17 of the Apertura tournament 2012 of the Liga MX.
For the first time in history, the most prestigious Latin American soccer tournament will be in Tijuana, which is the farthest point up north that it will be played.
In December it will be known of what position Xolos will be placed in as the 2nd Mexican team in the tournament.
The Red Devils of Toluca finished as the super leader in the general leaders board, with 34 points while Xolos finished with 33 points and places them in 2nd.
With a very poor played game on behalf of Chivas, Xolos took advantage since the start of the game where about 10 seconds into the match, Hector Reynoso made a defensive error by not getting the ball out of the danger zone correctly, which then Alfredo “Chango” Moreno came and rebounded the ball and kicked it into the net on the upper left corner of the goal that was being defended by goalie Luis Michel.
Only 2 minutes after, the goalie from Chivas rejected a header from Tijuana in a bad way, which the forward from Columbia Duvier Riascos hit the ball in skimming a player and sending the ball to the goalies left side, and now the score was 0-2.
The team from Guadalajara was not able to react to the score that was not in their favor , which Xolos then only played as if they were in a training session for the rest of the game, but with the purpose to save energy for this week’s upcoming match.
With this result, Xolos will now go up against Rayados of Monterrey on Thursday, at an away game that will be played on the field of the Tecnologico Stadium, while the next game for Xolos will be at home against Monterrey as well at the Estadio Caliente field on Sunday.
http://www.sandiegor...a-Libertadores/
#56
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Posted 12 November 2012 - 05:42 PM
Xolos, the Tijuana soccer team has a new store in San Diego
It's in Plaza Bonita
http://www.sandiegor...e-in-San-Diego/
It's in Plaza Bonita
http://www.sandiegor...e-in-San-Diego/
#57
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Posted 15 November 2012 - 10:37 PM
Xolos vs. Monterrey: The rematch
Game will start at 5p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)
by Manuel Medina
November 15 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles are back in action today against the Rayados of Monterrey, in a game that is considered as a rematch, which will be played in Monterrey as part of the Liga MX quarter finals.
Rayados are the only team that has played against Xolos the most in the Mexican soccer league in Division One, where out of 5 games Xolos have won 1 game, tied 2, and Rayados have won 2 games. Today’s game is scheduled to be played at 7p.m. local time and 5p.m. pacific standard time.
In the last tournament these two teams faced off also in the quarter finals where Monterrey beat Xolos 2-1 in Tijuana, and then tied 2-2 in Monterrey, which the overall result favored Rayados who went on to play in the tournament semifinals.
Today’s game will be very different, because not only are Xolos playing with better players on the squad, but also are coming into this game with an a better record as well with 15 games without being defeated, and now the visitors score will favor them a lot as well, How? Well a goal scored in Monterrey will literally count as 2 for Xolos in the overall global results.
This game will be very interesting to watch, because both teams will be forced to play more intelligently in order to advance into the next stage which would be the semifinals.
The only bad news for Xolos is that Pablo Cesar Aguilar will not be playing in this game, due to a game that the Paraguayan national team has schedule in which he will be also participating in, but his replacement will be Joshua Emmanuel Abrego who knows this positions very well.
Rayados are taking a big loss in this game as well, due to a few players being out for injuries and will not be playing who are, Humberto “Chupete” Suazo, Severo Meza and Jesus Zavala.
Xolos have already qualified for the Copa Libertadores of America, but can also continue to make history by making it into the semifinals of the Apertura tournament 2012, which out of only 3 seasons Xolos have qualified into the playoffs 2 times, and this time they have the possibility to even advance into the finals and crown themselves as the tournament champions.
The second and final game against Monterrey will be played on Sunday at 6:30p.m. local time at Estadio Caliente in Tijuana, which tickets are already on sale at the dog pounds ticket booths for Sundays match.
http://www.sandiegor...ey-The-rematch/
Game will start at 5p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)
by Manuel Medina
November 15 2012
TIJUANA, BC. – Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles are back in action today against the Rayados of Monterrey, in a game that is considered as a rematch, which will be played in Monterrey as part of the Liga MX quarter finals.
Rayados are the only team that has played against Xolos the most in the Mexican soccer league in Division One, where out of 5 games Xolos have won 1 game, tied 2, and Rayados have won 2 games. Today’s game is scheduled to be played at 7p.m. local time and 5p.m. pacific standard time.
In the last tournament these two teams faced off also in the quarter finals where Monterrey beat Xolos 2-1 in Tijuana, and then tied 2-2 in Monterrey, which the overall result favored Rayados who went on to play in the tournament semifinals.
Today’s game will be very different, because not only are Xolos playing with better players on the squad, but also are coming into this game with an a better record as well with 15 games without being defeated, and now the visitors score will favor them a lot as well, How? Well a goal scored in Monterrey will literally count as 2 for Xolos in the overall global results.
This game will be very interesting to watch, because both teams will be forced to play more intelligently in order to advance into the next stage which would be the semifinals.
The only bad news for Xolos is that Pablo Cesar Aguilar will not be playing in this game, due to a game that the Paraguayan national team has schedule in which he will be also participating in, but his replacement will be Joshua Emmanuel Abrego who knows this positions very well.
Rayados are taking a big loss in this game as well, due to a few players being out for injuries and will not be playing who are, Humberto “Chupete” Suazo, Severo Meza and Jesus Zavala.
Xolos have already qualified for the Copa Libertadores of America, but can also continue to make history by making it into the semifinals of the Apertura tournament 2012, which out of only 3 seasons Xolos have qualified into the playoffs 2 times, and this time they have the possibility to even advance into the finals and crown themselves as the tournament champions.
The second and final game against Monterrey will be played on Sunday at 6:30p.m. local time at Estadio Caliente in Tijuana, which tickets are already on sale at the dog pounds ticket booths for Sundays match.
http://www.sandiegor...ey-The-rematch/
#58
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Posted 05 December 2012 - 12:09 AM
Believe it: Tijuana Xolos are Mexican champs
By Mark Zeigler
Originally published December 2, 2012 at 6:11 p.m., updated December 2, 2012 at 7:48 p.m.
The ball hadn’t yet bulged the net, and Duvier Riascos had already started celebrating in the eerie silence of Toluca’s Estadio Nemesio Diez.
The Tijuana forward tore off his jersey and ran toward the sideline, his arms extended, his face contorted in elation. Toluca fans, suddenly cognizant that their team wasn’t winning the Mexican soccer title for a record 11th time, angrily showered him with beer.
Riascos turned his head as he sprinted by and playfully stuck out his tongue, trying to catch the sprinkles of cerveza in the chilly night air.
Ah, the sweet taste of triumph.
Tijuana can stop pinching itself. It really happened. Those were Xoloitzcuintles players kissing and hoisting the shimmering Liga MX trophy, Mexico’s most coveted and revered sports championship. That is “Tijuana” engraved on its side.
The Chargers have never won a Super Bowl. The Padres have never won a World Series. The two NBA teams in San Diego never won a ring. The Xolos did it Sunday in their fifth year of existence, and only second in Mexico’s highest level of soccer.
“This title is for all the people who believed in us,” said captain Javier Gandolfi, who has been with the club since its days in the second division. “This has grown so fast, with all the people filling the stadium now. This title is for them.”
The 2-0 victory at Toluca’s Estadio Nemesio Diez gave the Xolos a 4-1 advantage in the two-game championship series and an unfathomable piece of history. It is the quickest any team has won the title after gaining promotion to the first division (the Xolos did just 19 months ago), and the first to do it from the Pacific time zone.
And to think: A year ago, the Xolos were floundering at the bottom of the 18-team league and headed for immediate relegation back to the second division.
Instead, they hired Argentine coach Antonio Mohamed and qualified for the playoffs of the Clausura season last spring. They finished the most recent Apertura season tied for first with Toluca, getting the No. 2 seed in the eight-team playoffs only because of an inferior goal differential. They beat Monterrey in the quarterfinals, then dramatically eliminated Leon in the semis after losing the first leg 2-0.
The Xolos won the first leg of the final 2-1 at Estadio Caliente on Thursday, but preserving that lead at 8,750 feet was a lofty order. The Xolos patiently kept it scoreless through the first half, then exploded for two goals a minute apart to set off wild celebrations across the South Bay and Tijuana. (A parade is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, leaving from the stadium.)
In the 70th minute, Raul Arce sent a free kick curling over a six-man defensive wall that slammed off the left post. The ball caromed into the goal mouth, and Richard Ruiz was there to slide it under Toluca goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera.
A minute later, it was 2-0 and Riascos was etched into Mexican finals lore. Tijuana left back Edgar Castillo fed Fidel Martinez, who fed a streaking Riascos, who scored with his left foot after sending Talavera the wrong direction from a full-speed stepover with his right.
“Tijuana was just better than us,” said Toluca coach Enrique Meza, whose team was trying to tie Chivas with its 11th Mexican title. “We deserved to lose.”
http://www.utsandieg...xican-champion/
By Mark Zeigler
Originally published December 2, 2012 at 6:11 p.m., updated December 2, 2012 at 7:48 p.m.
The ball hadn’t yet bulged the net, and Duvier Riascos had already started celebrating in the eerie silence of Toluca’s Estadio Nemesio Diez.
The Tijuana forward tore off his jersey and ran toward the sideline, his arms extended, his face contorted in elation. Toluca fans, suddenly cognizant that their team wasn’t winning the Mexican soccer title for a record 11th time, angrily showered him with beer.
Riascos turned his head as he sprinted by and playfully stuck out his tongue, trying to catch the sprinkles of cerveza in the chilly night air.
Ah, the sweet taste of triumph.
Tijuana can stop pinching itself. It really happened. Those were Xoloitzcuintles players kissing and hoisting the shimmering Liga MX trophy, Mexico’s most coveted and revered sports championship. That is “Tijuana” engraved on its side.
The Chargers have never won a Super Bowl. The Padres have never won a World Series. The two NBA teams in San Diego never won a ring. The Xolos did it Sunday in their fifth year of existence, and only second in Mexico’s highest level of soccer.
“This title is for all the people who believed in us,” said captain Javier Gandolfi, who has been with the club since its days in the second division. “This has grown so fast, with all the people filling the stadium now. This title is for them.”
The 2-0 victory at Toluca’s Estadio Nemesio Diez gave the Xolos a 4-1 advantage in the two-game championship series and an unfathomable piece of history. It is the quickest any team has won the title after gaining promotion to the first division (the Xolos did just 19 months ago), and the first to do it from the Pacific time zone.
And to think: A year ago, the Xolos were floundering at the bottom of the 18-team league and headed for immediate relegation back to the second division.
Instead, they hired Argentine coach Antonio Mohamed and qualified for the playoffs of the Clausura season last spring. They finished the most recent Apertura season tied for first with Toluca, getting the No. 2 seed in the eight-team playoffs only because of an inferior goal differential. They beat Monterrey in the quarterfinals, then dramatically eliminated Leon in the semis after losing the first leg 2-0.
The Xolos won the first leg of the final 2-1 at Estadio Caliente on Thursday, but preserving that lead at 8,750 feet was a lofty order. The Xolos patiently kept it scoreless through the first half, then exploded for two goals a minute apart to set off wild celebrations across the South Bay and Tijuana. (A parade is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, leaving from the stadium.)
In the 70th minute, Raul Arce sent a free kick curling over a six-man defensive wall that slammed off the left post. The ball caromed into the goal mouth, and Richard Ruiz was there to slide it under Toluca goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera.
A minute later, it was 2-0 and Riascos was etched into Mexican finals lore. Tijuana left back Edgar Castillo fed Fidel Martinez, who fed a streaking Riascos, who scored with his left foot after sending Talavera the wrong direction from a full-speed stepover with his right.
“Tijuana was just better than us,” said Toluca coach Enrique Meza, whose team was trying to tie Chivas with its 11th Mexican title. “We deserved to lose.”
http://www.utsandieg...xican-champion/
#59
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Posted 05 December 2012 - 12:12 AM
Tijuana celebrates Xolos capture of soccer title
Thousands swarm a traffic circle in the city's Río Zone
By Sandra Dibble
Sunday, December 2, 2012
TIJUANA — This city broke out in celebration Sunday night as fans honked horns, waved flags and hollered from their cars after the Xolos soccer team captured Mexico's most prized sports championship.
Within a half-hour of the game’s conclusion, thousands swarmed a traffic circle in Tijuana’s Río Zone, converging at the foot of the giant statue of the Aztec warrior Cuauhtémoc. Some fans tossed confetti, others sprayed beer, but mostly they just shouted. And shouted. And shouted.
“Xolos, olé, olé, olé, olé, olé” they sang. And: “Tijuana, sí se pudo” -- Tijuana, yes we did it.
Fans streamed in from all parts of the city to this traditional celebration spot. “It’s the entire city, getting together and getting excited,” said Karla Villela, a 15-year-old high school student who waved a large Xolos flag and wore a Xolos jersey.
Alberto Capella, Tijuana's public security secretary, estimated that 100,000 residents were out celebrating the Xolos victory in different neighborhoods of the city of 1.7 million.
Festivities were being prepared for the returning team members at midnight at Caliente Stadium, the Xolos' home venue. A parade in their honor is scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m. starting from the stadium, Capella said.
Julio César Martínez Silva, a 43-year-old security guard, said the Xolos' victory filled him with pride. "The entire country used to say Tijuana is crime and drugs," he said while standing outside Caliente Stadium with his two sons. "It's great that a ball can transform it into a place of togetherness."
For so many years, “we lived in the shadow of San Diego, which has the Padres and the Chargers,” said Ernesto Rivera, a 34-year-old trade specialist who joined in the Río Zone festivities. “Tijuana had nothing, but now we have something to be proud of.”
http://www.utsandieg...-xolos-victory/
Thousands swarm a traffic circle in the city's Río Zone
By Sandra Dibble
Sunday, December 2, 2012
TIJUANA — This city broke out in celebration Sunday night as fans honked horns, waved flags and hollered from their cars after the Xolos soccer team captured Mexico's most prized sports championship.
Within a half-hour of the game’s conclusion, thousands swarmed a traffic circle in Tijuana’s Río Zone, converging at the foot of the giant statue of the Aztec warrior Cuauhtémoc. Some fans tossed confetti, others sprayed beer, but mostly they just shouted. And shouted. And shouted.
“Xolos, olé, olé, olé, olé, olé” they sang. And: “Tijuana, sí se pudo” -- Tijuana, yes we did it.
Fans streamed in from all parts of the city to this traditional celebration spot. “It’s the entire city, getting together and getting excited,” said Karla Villela, a 15-year-old high school student who waved a large Xolos flag and wore a Xolos jersey.
Alberto Capella, Tijuana's public security secretary, estimated that 100,000 residents were out celebrating the Xolos victory in different neighborhoods of the city of 1.7 million.
Festivities were being prepared for the returning team members at midnight at Caliente Stadium, the Xolos' home venue. A parade in their honor is scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m. starting from the stadium, Capella said.
Julio César Martínez Silva, a 43-year-old security guard, said the Xolos' victory filled him with pride. "The entire country used to say Tijuana is crime and drugs," he said while standing outside Caliente Stadium with his two sons. "It's great that a ball can transform it into a place of togetherness."
For so many years, “we lived in the shadow of San Diego, which has the Padres and the Chargers,” said Ernesto Rivera, a 34-year-old trade specialist who joined in the Río Zone festivities. “Tijuana had nothing, but now we have something to be proud of.”
http://www.utsandieg...-xolos-victory/
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Posted 05 December 2012 - 12:15 AM
Tijuana revels in a soccer celebration
By Sandra Dibble
Monday, December 3, 2012
TIJUANA — From flag-waving taxi drivers to shrieking teenagers, Tijuanenses welcomed home the triumphant Xoloitzcuintles soccer players Monday, a day after the team brought the city its first national soccer title.
Signs of Xolomania were all around — from the caravan of vehicles that inched down Agua Caliente Boulevard to the deafening cheers of more than 4,000 fans gathered at Tijuana City Hall, where Mayor Carlos Bustamante, draped in a Xolos scarf, led the celebration.
“The entire world is going to turn around and look at Tijuana,” said Maximiliano Macias, 26, a university student waiting outside the Caliente soccer stadium for a glimpse of the team.
The players were received as heroes at A.L. Rodríguez International Airport as they flew back to the city early Monday. Hours later, they waved from an open bus, stopping traffic as they led a victory procession of hundreds — if not thousands — of honking cars for more than three hours down some main thoroughfares.
“Xolos #1,” fans wrote on their car windows. “Todos somos Xolos.” (We are all Xolos.)
Fans waved from apartment windows and traffic bridges. They stepped out of shopping malls, taco stands, hotels and schools along the route to offer congratulations.
In a city where more than half of the residents were born elsewhere, the occasion pulled together people from all parts of Tijuana and all social classes. Fans said the Xolos victory showed a different side of Tijuana, which has been fighting to shed its image as a center for drug trafficking and violence.
“We have a bad reputation, but there are good people here, and we’re going to show it,” said Tijuana native Raúl Ramírez, a 42-year-old construction worker.
Before Sunday’s championship game against Toluca, Ramírez lit a candle to St. Judas Tadeo — saint of impossible dreams — inside his house in the city’s Buena Vista neighborhood. He celebrated Sunday by adopting his favorite Xolos player’s hairstyle, shaving his bushy head of hair and leaving a tuft in the center.
A few fans crossed the border into Mexico to join the festivities, including Mark Davis, a 51-year-old electrical engineer from Carlsbad and a season-ticket holder who braved rainy weather in a Xolos jersey. “I’ve brought people who haven’t been down in 30 years,” Davis said. “They say, ‘I could never go to TJ, it’s too dangerous.’ I’d say, ‘Come on, let’s go.’”
At City Hall, team president Jorgealberto Hank Inzunza held up the championship trophy before the crowd, declaring that the victory was not just about sports: “We’ve shown at a national level that we are good people, nice people, loyal people.”
Absent from the stage was Hank’s father, Jorge Hank Rhon, whose Grupo Caliente business is the team’s main sponsor. A gambling magnate and former mayor of Tijuana, he is a member of Mexico’s Institutional Revolutionary Party, or the PRI. The senior Hank has fought allegations of criminal ties and generated controversy for years, most recently with his arrest on weapons charges in 2011 after soldiers found unregistered weapons at his property. The charges were eventually dropped.
Hank has stated his intention of running for governor. Last month, he created a political stir by saying the Xolos are a PRIista team.
Construction worker Ramírez and other fans said Monday the team is one thing--and politics another. “This is something completely separate,” Ramirez said. “One has nothing to do with the other.”
http://www.utsandieg...er-celebration/
By Sandra Dibble
Monday, December 3, 2012
TIJUANA — From flag-waving taxi drivers to shrieking teenagers, Tijuanenses welcomed home the triumphant Xoloitzcuintles soccer players Monday, a day after the team brought the city its first national soccer title.
Signs of Xolomania were all around — from the caravan of vehicles that inched down Agua Caliente Boulevard to the deafening cheers of more than 4,000 fans gathered at Tijuana City Hall, where Mayor Carlos Bustamante, draped in a Xolos scarf, led the celebration.
“The entire world is going to turn around and look at Tijuana,” said Maximiliano Macias, 26, a university student waiting outside the Caliente soccer stadium for a glimpse of the team.
The players were received as heroes at A.L. Rodríguez International Airport as they flew back to the city early Monday. Hours later, they waved from an open bus, stopping traffic as they led a victory procession of hundreds — if not thousands — of honking cars for more than three hours down some main thoroughfares.
“Xolos #1,” fans wrote on their car windows. “Todos somos Xolos.” (We are all Xolos.)
Fans waved from apartment windows and traffic bridges. They stepped out of shopping malls, taco stands, hotels and schools along the route to offer congratulations.
In a city where more than half of the residents were born elsewhere, the occasion pulled together people from all parts of Tijuana and all social classes. Fans said the Xolos victory showed a different side of Tijuana, which has been fighting to shed its image as a center for drug trafficking and violence.
“We have a bad reputation, but there are good people here, and we’re going to show it,” said Tijuana native Raúl Ramírez, a 42-year-old construction worker.
Before Sunday’s championship game against Toluca, Ramírez lit a candle to St. Judas Tadeo — saint of impossible dreams — inside his house in the city’s Buena Vista neighborhood. He celebrated Sunday by adopting his favorite Xolos player’s hairstyle, shaving his bushy head of hair and leaving a tuft in the center.
A few fans crossed the border into Mexico to join the festivities, including Mark Davis, a 51-year-old electrical engineer from Carlsbad and a season-ticket holder who braved rainy weather in a Xolos jersey. “I’ve brought people who haven’t been down in 30 years,” Davis said. “They say, ‘I could never go to TJ, it’s too dangerous.’ I’d say, ‘Come on, let’s go.’”
At City Hall, team president Jorgealberto Hank Inzunza held up the championship trophy before the crowd, declaring that the victory was not just about sports: “We’ve shown at a national level that we are good people, nice people, loyal people.”
Absent from the stage was Hank’s father, Jorge Hank Rhon, whose Grupo Caliente business is the team’s main sponsor. A gambling magnate and former mayor of Tijuana, he is a member of Mexico’s Institutional Revolutionary Party, or the PRI. The senior Hank has fought allegations of criminal ties and generated controversy for years, most recently with his arrest on weapons charges in 2011 after soldiers found unregistered weapons at his property. The charges were eventually dropped.
Hank has stated his intention of running for governor. Last month, he created a political stir by saying the Xolos are a PRIista team.
Construction worker Ramírez and other fans said Monday the team is one thing--and politics another. “This is something completely separate,” Ramirez said. “One has nothing to do with the other.”
http://www.utsandieg...er-celebration/
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