CHULA VISTA- It was close to an old fashion scrimmage.

There were no electronic scoreboards. No video screens. No stadium seating. There was no loud public announcement system. A trio of referees was there to force the rules.

That's the closest thing to resemble an official match. Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles and the San Diego Flash played a preseason match at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista Friday. The Xolos won 6-1. It nearly resembled a pickup game.

About 200 fans gathered around a fenced field near the training center's main building. Fans were close enough to the action. They could hear the players communicate on the field. Some of the players even spoke with fans during the match.

A fan standing on the other side of the fence behind the Xolos' goal had some words with Tijuana starting goalkeeper, Cirilo Saucedo. The fan asked Saucedo who had scored a goal on the opposite end of the field.

"It was Nava," yelled Saucedo, referring to forward Raul Nava.

Fans were treated to a game featuring most of the Xolos starters playing for nearly 80 minutes. The match was part of Tijuana's preseason schedule as the Xolos prepare for the upcoming 2012 Apertura tournament. The regular season begins July 20.

"We get out rhythm. We start to feel that soccer we want to have," said Xolos midfielder Jorge Hernandez about playing in those games. "You are putting in a lot of work during the preseason and it can be rough but you begin to feel a bit lighter and you start to feel the unity within the team."

As much benefit the Xolos get out of such events, the same goes to its opponents. At least that's what San Diego Flash coach Warren Barton said.

His team, a member of the fourth tier National Premier Soccer League, doesn't always get the chance to face a team from Mexico's top flight league.

"They told us we played well," said Barton, who is a former English National team player and who played in the English Premier League. "Their best players played for 75, 80 minutes that's a compliment. Normally during preseason games your best players come off at halftime. We try to compete but obviously their quality is a lot higher. Their coach (Antonio Mohamed) was very complimentary about the game. We respect them and they respect us. It was the first time they've beaten us."

Barton said he has taken his club into Tijuana and tied a couple of matches against the Xolos.

"It's great for the area, for the players," Barton said. "They are premier. They're the top. You don't get any better than that. It's a big opportunity and a great honor for us. We compete, we play hard and it's exposure. They got a good tradition. We want to try and emulate what they do here in San Diego. It's a good test.

"It's good to know that nearby we have a team in the highest level. And what I like about the club in TJ is that they are big on their academy. They have an identity in the area. You've got LA Galaxy, Chivas USA and now we got a team nearby. It benefits everyone in the area."

Xolos administrators have said they want the club to become a regional team, particularly in Southern California. San Diego is a key market.

The Xolos have played three exhibition matches in San Diego in seven days. There was the 1-1 draw against Club America at Qualcomm Stadium June 30, a 7-1 win in a friendly against San Diego Boca FC Thursday, also at the Olympic Center.

It was there where fans didn't hesitate to ask for autographs, leaning against a chest-high chain linked fence. Some Xolos players posed for pictures. Some even left home with family members instead of boarding the team bus to ride South across the border. Others walked to the parking lot and drove off in their cars.

Some might say it was very close to an old fashion scrimmage.

ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com