SAN NICOLAS DE LOS GARZA, NUEVO LEON. The winning streak for Tigres and Club Tijuana has both come to an end after Saturday night's match, which ended in a tie game with a score of 2-2.
The game was part of Week 5 of the 2013 Cluasura tournament of the Liga MX, and was played at the University Stadium in Monterrey.
This was the most anticipated game of the week, because these 2 teams are the only teams in the Mexican soccer league that have started their undefeated with 4 victories each. Therefore, this match was set up to be a spectacular one.
Here's how the game went:
Right from the start of the game, both teams initiated offensive attacks while trying to score on both ends of the field.
The first attempt came from Emanuel "tito" Villa from Tigres, who took a shot at goal, but just ended up veering off to the side from the goalie arch that was being guarded by goal keeper, Cirilo Suacedo. Three minutes later Xolos would answer back with a play where Alfredo "Chango" Moreno received a pass, but was not able to get a shot off comfortably and the ball just ended going out of bounds.
At minute 14 of the game, the goalie "Juninho" tried to tee off a ball 3 quarters of the field long, but the ball ended up with Hugo Ayala, who tried to pass it to Hugo Palos with a weak header, in which Fidel Martinez was able to take the ball from Palos and have Moreno score for Xolos to put them ahead on the scoreboard 1-0.
Xolos player, Fernando Arce, at around minute 32 hit the ball long to try to lengthen the resting time, so that the team can regroup and just ended the first half in this fashion.
In the second half of the match at minute 53 and due to a defensive error. Carlos Salcido was able to filter a pass to his teammate Lucas Lobos from Tigres, who received a perfect pass that Xolos captain Javier Gandolfi let go by, not knowing that it would end up in the opponents possession, who put the ball in the back of the net to even up the score 1-1.
Lobos celebrated his goal by dedicating it to his new born baby, who has been having some health problems lately.
Alfredo Moreno suffered an injury late in the game, which Xolos head coach Antonio Mohamed was forced to substitute him for Richard Ruiz, who went in as a forward playing on the right side of the feel that would send Duvier Riascos to cover the center.
At the 60th minute mark Fernando Arce took a free kick and scored, but the goal was annulled because Javier Gandolfi was marked as being offside.
Tigres would now begin to dribble the ball and have more control, which after a few intelligent plays, they were able to score at minute 65 of the match, when Danilinho took the ball towards the right side of the field and served a pass to Lucas Lobos, who was able to get an advantage on the defenders from Xolos and scored to put up Tigres now 2-1.
Xolos continued to try to score, and at around minute 75 of the game, Cristian Pellerano all the way from midfield launched a pass which Israel Juarez from Tigres was not able to control, and ended up in the back of the net due to Duvier Riascos who came from behind and took an impressive shot putting the game now 2-2.
The canine squad continued to look for that next opportunity to score, while the head coaches from both teams were making some changes that would result with the best outcome in their favor.
The referee Francisco Chacon would now blow the whistle ending the game, and awarding each team 1 point each for the tie game.
This week, Cirilo Saucedo and Fernando Arce will be back again with the Mexican National soocer team who will be playing against Jamaica, while Pablo Cesar Aguilar will also join his countries national team who will be playing a friendly match against El Salvador.
This Saturday Xolos will be facing the "Aguilas del America" at their home field at Estadio Caliente, which will be part of Week 6 of the tournament.
Manuel.Medina@sandiegored.com
Omar.Martinez@sandiegored.com
