TIJUANA – The play was quick as it could be.
Cirilo Saucedo dove to his right, stopping a virtually point-blank shot.
Saucedo, Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles' goalkeeper, slapped away Omar Bravo's shot to hold a scoreless draw with Cruz Azul at home last week.
It happened after Saucedo tried to send a pass to a teammate from the mouth of his goal. The ball went straight to Bravo, instead.
Saucedo made up for his gaff with a spectacular save, similar to the many he has made for the Xolos this Clausura tournament.
The goalkeeper has been an important part of Tijuana's fast start.
He has helped keep the team in close matches and kept the club from embarrassment when his back line was prone to giving up soft goals.
Saucedo has allowed five goals this tournament. It could have easily been 15 by now if not for his mongoose-like instincts and quick reflexes.
Against Santos Laguna last month, he kept a 3-1 loss from becoming what should have been at least a 7-1 blowout with save after save, finishing with eight in the match.
Last week against Cruz Azul, Saucedo continued to be in the correct spot, making saves, clearing dangerous balls through the air, including on corner kicks.
Saucedo will try to continue this good pace when the Xolos visit Querétaro on Saturday in a Week 7 match-up.
As much as Saucedo has been a key role in the Xolos' game plan, so has the defense and midfield. It is the offense that is yet to have a breakthrough game and score more than two goals.
Tijuana beat Chivas de Guadalajara 2-0 in January. Coach Antonio "El Turco" Mohamed hopes his team finds the net more often and soon.
"We are calm but we know there is a streak to be broken so we can be a bit calmer," Mohamed said in a statement. "We know we need to win and to do so we need to score goals. The team is on a good path. We've been competitive; we've had the chance to win The offense needs to be better."
The Xolos need to be better if they want to stay near the top of the standings and move further away from the bottom of the relegation percentage list.
Tijuana enters its match against Querétaro, which is coming off a 3-0 loss to Jaguares de Chiapas last week, as the No. 10 team with a 2-1-3 record and nine points. The Xolos are looking as if they will remain in the First Division if they can continue to rake in points.
Estudiantes Tecos have the worst points-per-game percentage and appear to be heading into relegation come the end of the tournament in late April.
A win against "Los Gallos Blancos," as Querétaro is known, and some favorable results in other weekend games and the Xolos could be among the top five teams heading into next week.
Next week is going to be a busy one. The Xolos are scheduled to cross the border and play against Major League Soccer's Chivas USA on Wednesday at USD's Torero Stadium.
The Xolos beat the Los Angeles Galaxy with David Beckham and Landon Donovan in penalty kicks last year in the exhibition game, known as the San Diego Clásico.
Tijuana will then host Toluca in a league match at Estadio Caliente on Saturday night.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
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Game day
What: Xolos at Querétaro
When: Saturday, 3 p.m.
Where: Estadio Corregidora
Television: Galavisión (Mexico)
Outlook: The Xolos have not won since beating Chivas de Guadalajara on Jan. 21, a historic victory for the club. Mohamed's squad has gone 0-1-2 since that win. Tijuana played to a 1-1 draw with Querétaro last summer, the first time these two teams met in the Primera División.
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