Sports

Tijuana Xolos highly motivated for away match at Santos

They want to get first away win in over a year, as well as get a win on the 100th first division game.

By Jonny Rico2014-02-13T21:45:00+00:00

TORREON - Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente will be traveling to the state of Coahuila to take on Santos Laguna in week seven action of the Clausura 2014 season of LIGA Bancomer MX. Tijuana will be competing in their 100th first division match and will face the team that gave them their first win in the top flight.

The match is scheduled for Valentine's day, Friday February 14th at 7:30pm local time (5:30pm pacific time) from the Territorio Santos Modelo stadium in Torreon, Coahuila. The game will be televised live in the United States by Univision Deportes Network.

The last time Tijuana Xolos were able to win on the road in a league match the manager was still Antonio "Turco" Mohamed back on week three of the Clausura 2013 season. They went the entire Apertura 2013 season as well as the three away matches so far this season without a win.

"We will go out and play with intensity from the start" mentioned Xolos manager Cesar Farias after the final team practice before traveling. "We will not go out and speculate at all. We want the win."

The manager did admit that he was not aware that the club will be facing their 100th match in first division, but did say it is a big motivational aspect.

"I honestly did not know this" said Farias "But yes, it will provide for extra motivation to go out and look for that win."

The opponents on hand for the Xoloitzcuintles will be the dangerous Santos Laguna. Santos are now facing the struggles that the Xolos faced a year ago with double competition duties now that the 2014 Copa Libertadores has begun. Santos played on Tuesday night and defeated Argentina's Arsenal de Sarandi in the opening match of their group stage.

The Venezuelan manager does not consider the Copa Libertadores match as an advantage for his Xolos team. "Well, they didn't have to travel. A smart team like they are will know how to take advantage of the extra game time and fix things that need fixing."

Finally Farias announced that Hernan Pellerano and Jaimen Ayovi are the only ones doing separate training due to injury. Everyone else all did the full training session. Argentine forward Dario Benedetto, who scored the equalizing goal against Monterrey last Friday night, could be making his come back to the starting lineup. American midfielder Joe Corona could also be making his return to the starting 11 after receivning some minutes against Monterrey. Corona had missed the previous two matches with an ankle injury.

Possible lineup: