The stat sheet makes it clear.
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles are unbeaten under their new coach in the past five games.
The Xolos extended that streak with a 1-1 draw against host Atlante on Saturday night in a Week 14 match-up in Cancun, Mexico.
Another draw that could have been a win. Another squandered chance at three points instead of one.
Antonio Mohamed has led Tijuana to a 1-0-4 record since taking over the team Sept. 19. But is it enough to satisfy the players and a hungry fan base.
Mohamed hasn't made a splash with his tactics and starting line-ups. Some might say he hasn't done enough. Other might suggest Tijuana is settling for what it can get in this, its first season in the Mexican Primera División.
As much as the has tried to take a team filled with what is considered a talented roster and make it into a legitimate contender in Mexico's top circuit, Tijuana can't find the correct equation.
The same troubles that plagued the Xolos earlier in the season reappeared against Atlante (5-6-3, 18 points). Failed opportunities on offense and miscues on defense.
Again, the Xolos could not hold on to a lead on the road against a team considered to be beatable.
The Xolos (2-5-7, 13 points) allowed another soft goal. This time in the 61st minute when Atlante's Oscar Rojas sent in a loose ball from near the mouth of the goal past Tijuana goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo to tie the match 1-1.
Rojas' goal was, in part, made possible by back-to-back gaffes by the Xolos defense. Javier Yacuzzi couldn't control the ball near his feet and sent it into the penalty area. That's where Richard Ruiz attempted to slide and clear the ball but instead missed it and landed on his rear, leaving Rojas a shot at goal. Rojas didn't waste the chance.
Tijuana squandered another second half lead after settling with what most would consider a conservative approach.
Mohamed threw his team back into its own territory, opting to defend after Jose Sand gave Tijuana the lead in the 39th minute.
Sand sent a right-footed shot from left to right across the heart of Atlante's penalty area past goalkeeper Moises Rodriguez into the top-left corner of the net. Sand's scoring play concluded a series of short passes by the Xolos. Tijuana caught a break as one of those short passes by Javier Yacuzzi. The pass was deflected by Atlante defender Oswaldo Arce into the air. That ball floated back to Yacuzzi. He headed it to Sand, who was sprinting into the area before burying the ball in the net.
That was Sand's third goal of the tournament.
And it was the only highlight of what was mostly a stale first half. Neither team created a real scoring opportunity before Sand's goal. Tijuana had trouble penetrating Atlante's penalty area with Enriquez and Sand on top as attackers. But it didn't matter. The Xolos would accept the 1-0 halftime lead.
But it wasn't enough.
Mohamed might be under criticism after Saturday night. Dropping back to defend backfired.
The Argentine-born coach who replaced Joaquin del Olmo last month tried to make up the difference by sending his team out of its bunker. He began to send attackers up field late in the second half, mostly after subbing in Ismael Íñiguez and Joe Corona.
The moves worked, to an extent.
Corona sent a right-footed shot that appeared to be the game winner in the 84th minute. His shot bounced twice on the rough Andres Quintana Roo Stadium only to skid off the right post. It was the Xolos' clearest chance to take the lead and rake in a much needed three points.
Tijuana gains a point in the Apertura Tournament standings but remains No. 17 of 18 teams with only two points better than last place Atlas, which tied 1-1 against Morelia on Saturday.
All the Xolos needed was a break Saturday night and perhaps it could have raked in the three points,
That break almost came when Íñiguez sent a header off the heart of the crossbar in the 77th minute. The play came five minutes after he sent a wild shot over the crossbar. He might want that one back. He had a sprinting Corona wide open to his left on a fast break.
Instead, the ball ended up in the stands.
And the Xolos ended the match with what perhaps was a taste of defeat despite the draw. It is a draw Tijuana might look back to come the end of the tournament. The Xolos have three matches left on the schedule, including the next two at home against Jaguares and San Luis next Wednesday and Sunday, respectively.
The Xolos remain unbeaten under Mohamed. But Tijuana might question his work outside the stat sheet.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
