TIJUANA, BC.- After two weeks of rest due to the FIFA calendar, the Xoloitzcuintles are getting ready to make what is the longest journey of the Mexican soccer league to face Potros de Hierro of Atlante this Sunday.
More than 4,000 km (approximately 2,485 miles) are between Tijuana and Cancún, Quintana Roo; the place where next September 16 Xolos will be battling the iron horses in the Apertura 2012 tournament of the MX League.
The match will be held at 18 hours, local; 4pm Pacific Time.
Before Xoloitzcuintles got to First Division, the longest trips were from Cancún to Torreón, Coahuila and from the same paradisiac beach in Quintana Roo all the way to Monterrey, Nuevo León. But the canine squad came to revolutionize Mexican soccer not only with fresh ideas and high caliber players, but its arrival also told Mexico that soccer was loved by millions in the "most visited border of the world."
The journey is not only long, it's also very tiring and time consuming; first the team has to travel from Tijuana to Mexico City, this takes approximately three hours; then, after a minor stop of two hours at the Miguel Hidalgo international airport, they have to take a flight to Cancún that last a bit over an hour. If everything goes according to plan, Xolos could be entering the Tijuana airport and exiting the Cancún one after six or seven hours.
Let's not even talk about the road: 4,500 kilometers (almost 2,800 miles) that separate Tijuana from Cancún. That's a ride that goes through the beach, a number of forests, the mountains, and even a jungle.
But the long trip doesn't discourage the players who are looking to keep up with their winning streak by achieving a new victory against Potros de Hierro.
In canine camp news, midfielder Joe Corona has rejoined the team after being on the bench of the US National Team for the elimination game against Jamaica while the other Mexican American, Edgar Castillo, is still rehabilitating to defend the red n' black on the field as soon as he can.
After the match, Xolos will have to rush back to Tijuana to face the Pumas of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) on Wednesday in the last game of the regular season of the Aperture 2012 MX Cup; then, on Saturday, they will measure up against Zorros of Atlas in the ninth game of First Division. Both games will be held at the Caliente Stadium.
Traducción: Karen.balderas@sandiegored.com
