Soccer

Xolos beat Dorados in final preseason match

Estadio Caliente vivid despite friendly

TIJUANA –The rolls of toilet paper flew from the stands on to the field Friday night.

Most of the unwinding and arching white rolls of tissue arched over the visiting goal late in the first half of Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles 2-0 win against Dorados de Sinaloa. The preseason match was delayed for a couple of minutes while stadium staff cleared the nearly covered goal from the debri.

The Xolos rowdy cheering section known as "La Masakre" was the culprit for the toilet papering act.

That is something you typically would not see on a regular night at Estadio Caliente.

You probably wouldn't see a red cloud of smoke and fire coming from "La Masakre,"sitting in the south end of the stadium. Flares were ignited amid those fans at the second half kickoff, creating a ball of smoke, covering parts of the stadium.

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And Friday night, the stadium had a different feel.

The large scoreboard and video screen was turned off. There were plenty of empty seats in a stadium that typically jams close to 20,000 fans. One of the four light towers didn't come until 15 minutes into the game.

Referees kept time on the field where both teams used most of what could be their starting line ups for the upcoming tournaments. Tijuana is entering its third tournament as member of the Primera Division, Mexico's top flight league. Dorados is a Second Division team.

Interdivision matches are common when final offseason reparations are being made.

Friday's match was the final exhibition for the Xolos, giving coach Antonio Mohamed one week to set on a starting eleven for the season opener July 20 against Puebla at Estadio Caliente.

Mohamed used his off season acquisitions. Those were Fidel Martinez, Jorge Hernandez, Cristian Pellerano and Alfredo Moreno. Moreno gave the Xolos a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute goal via a header. Hernandez fed Moreno a floating pass near the mouth of the goal. Martinez was taken down by Carlos Pinto in the penalty area in the 75th minute, prompting referee Jorge Rojas to whistle a penalty kick in favor of the Xolos. Striker Raul Enriquez converted the penalty kick.

Those were the scoring plays the Xolos had been looking for most of the first half.

Mohamed used what appeared to be a scheme centered on an early attack. He often sent left back Edgar Castillo and midfielder Joe Corona deep into Dorados territory. The strategy almost resembled a four forward formation.

That helped the Xolos create a handful of scoring chances, including a point-blank shot by Corona in the 26th minute.

Corona took a Riascos lobbing pass just outside the penalty area and sent a right-footed blast only to have it blocked by Dorados goalkeeper Alfredo Fausto.

Tijuana midfielder Leandro Augusto also had a chance at goal. His shot from about 20-yards out smacked into the crossbar eight minutes into the match.

Dorados had a legitimate look at goal in the 12th minute when veteran midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco sent a right-footed bending shot curving inches right of Xolos goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo's right post.

It was Blanco who was in the center of a short scuffle between both teams early in the second half. The benches emptied as Riascos, the Xolos forward, and Dorados' Elio Castro exchanged words, pushed and pulled each other after they tangled on a play.

Coaches from both teams restrained players but not before Riascos and Castro were ejected from the match. Tension continued for the remainder of the match with Rodrigo Folle and Oscar Ibarra also receiving red cards for reckless fouls late in the match.

It was another twist to an unordinary night at Estadio Caliente.

ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com

Photos 1,2 by Pedro Neri/TJ Sports

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