It was supposed to be a chance to spoil a party.
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles visited Mexico's newest club in the First Division.
Club Leon was making its home debut in its return to the Primera Division since being absent from Mexico's top league the last 10 years.
The Xolos could have ruined that return.
Instead, it was Leon who embarrassed a shorthanded Tijuana with a 4-0 rout Friday night in front of a sold out Estadio Leon in a Week 2 matchup of the 2012 Apertura Tournament.
The festive Leon crowd watched its team win its second straight match in the First Division, earning another three points to sit on top of the overall standings with six points heading into this weekend.
As for the Xolos, coach Antonio Mohamed's squad suffered its first defeat of the tournament. Tijuana is now 1-1 heading into next week's match against Pumas UNAM at Estadio Caliente.
And the Xolos will be without two of its starters as they serve red card suspensions. Veteran defender and team captain Javier Gandolfi will miss the Pumas match after he was ejected in the 58th minute against Leon for a reckless foul. Fernando Arce will also miss next week's match. He was ejected in the 73rd minute against "Los Esmeraldas."
Carlos Pena (31s t and 60th minute), Luis Montes (51st), and Hernan Burbano (59th minute) scored for Club Leon. His first goal came on a long blast that deflected off Xolos defenders and ricocheted into Tijuana's net. Pena then ended Leono's flurry of goals with his second score of the night.
Montes' score came via a free kick that beat Xolos goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo for a 2-0 Leaon lead.
Burbano's goal came via penalty kick after Gandolfi's ejection for a 3-0 Esmeralda's lead.
Leon could have scored once more but it had a goal by Sebastian Maz disallowed in the 25th minute. Maz sent a ball past Saucedo but not before he brought down the ball with his hands, prompting a whistle to end the play.
The Xolos loss was the club's worst since losing 5-0 to Necaxa in a Liga de Ascenso semifinal playoff match three years ago.
Tijuana also blew a 2-0 second half lead against Monterrey last year, allowing Monterrey to score four unanswered goals for a comeback win.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
