Soccer

Tijuana Xolos earning respect from powerhouse teams

Club America of Mexico City noticing Tijuana's progress

Miguel Herrera is blunt.

The Club America coach typically won't shy away from a subject, especially when it comes to Mexican soccer.

The often outspoken coach has stirred controversy in the past. It didn't matter where he was coaching, Monterrey, Atlante and Veracruz.

It was no surprise that Herrera spoke freely about Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles, its coach Antonio Mohamed and its short history in Mexico's top flight league, the Primera Division.

"I think they have done a tremendous job in the league," Herrera said Friday night prior to Club America's training session at Qualcomm Stadium ahead of a friendly against the Xolos in the San Diego Clasico. "Tony (Mohamed) has done superb job with this team. They have certainly become a competitive team."

The Xolos proved it can compete with some of the top teams in the league last tournament, avoiding relegation to the Second Division and earning a playoff spot.

Mohammed's team proved it can stack up against the league's most popular teams.

And Club America is one of them. Even when Las Aguilas are not a contender for the post season, teams look forward to trying to beat one of Mexico's oldest teams.

The Xolos have faced las Aguilas twice, once in each of its first two tournaments in the First Division. Both times they played to a 1-1 draw.

That might be a dull result in the books but it is more than a nice achievement for a team in its toddler stages. The ties are considered a milestone in the club's short five-year history.

Club America is also one of the most popular franchises, one of the richest and one with a lot of brand power and a large ego.

"There is no other team like America," said Hugo Gonzalez, the Aguilas' goalkeeper. "Everyone wants to be like America and be part of this team."

Some of that cockiness America shows spreads throughout the team. But when Herrera, the outspoken coach, talked to reporters about the Xolos, he only had good things to say about the club.

"They've played us hand-in-hand," Herrera said. "We've gone with all we got and they've answered back. We've noticed when we play the Xolos there is an extra hard foul here and there. If we have to hit them back, we will. They seem to bring out our competitive side. That's what they do because they are a tough physical team."

And the Xolos are a team trying to put together a team that can resemble a similar attack to the previous tournament (2012 Clausura). Tijuana appears it will have to replace the fire power that forward Jose Sand and midfielder Egidio Arevalo. Multiple reports out of Mexico, Italy and Argentina say both players have signed contracts with other clubs.

Sand signed with Racing Club of Argentina while Arevalo came to terms with Italian club Palermo.

Time is short for the Xolos in finding replacements. After all, the regular season is a month away. Its match against America at the "Q" is a preseason affair as Mohammed puts together the final roster details.

Time will tell how things pair out for the Xolos. But one thing appears to be certain. Teams are not taking the Xolos for granted. Still, America doesn't lose it's confidence, it's bravado.

"They've done some good things the last two tournaments," said Efrain Juarez a newly acquired America defender. "They have a coach that is knowledgeable and they have some important players. It should be an entertaining game even if it's a friendly but I think we have what it takes to come out on top."

ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com

Related:

Comments

  • Facebook

  • SanDiegoRed

 
 
  • New

  • Best

    Recent News more

    Subir
    Advertising