Many times had the Xolos failed to find the net in a match in which they took a lead only to lose it and end in a tie. Many times had Tijuana been the underdog that matched up well against the best teams in the league.
On Sunday, the Xolos played a different role. Tijuana played spoiler in a 1-1 draw on the road against Mexico's defending champion Pumas UNAM in Estadio Universitario in Mexico City.
The Xolos (3-5-9) finished their first stint in the Primera División, Mexico's top circuit, with 18 points and kept Mexico's defending champion out of the playoffs.
Pumas (7-6-4) will have to watch the post season from home. Querétaro clinched the final slot in the eight-team playoffs with 26 points after Tigres UANL (28 points) beat Puebla 1-0. Pumas finished a point behind of Querétaro.
Tijuana earned a point thanks to Pumas' inability to score. The Xolos held on in a fashion they had not done very often this season.
They defended and stood their ground as they were under siege with Pumas fighting for their life.
Wide right. Wide left. High over the crossbar. Bounce off the crossbar. Ricochet off the post. Blocked by a defender.
That's what the Xolos endured.
They kept Pumas out of the net after giving up a score by Javier Cortes in the 11th minute.
Cortes scored off a free kick from about 25 yards to the right of a diving Xolos goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo. Cortes' s blast sailed above the Xolos wall of defenders and scraped off the crossbar onto the floor of the goal.
It appeared the Xolos were on way to another difficult match on the road, having to come from behind.
And Tijuana certainly did come from behind.
Thanks in part to a 53rd minute goal by defender Juan Pablo Santiago.
Santiago scored with a right-footed blast from the mouth of the goal after the ball ricocheted off a defender. The play came off a Javier Yacuzzi free kick from about 35-yards out.
That is all the scoring the Xolos would need.
Coach Antonio Mohamed's squad ended the tournament being unbeaten in its last eight matches, finishing as the No. 15 team out of 18 in the standings. That is a significant improvement after a slow start under the leadership of coach Joaquin Del Olmo, who was replaced by Mohamed in September.
The Xolos are 2-0-6 under Mohamed and moved out from the last place slot in the league's relegation standings. Tijuana will enter the Clausura tournament with a little breathing room, trying to avoid relegation to the Second Division.
Against Pumas, the Xolos showed a defensive effort worthy of the First Division.
The defense held under fire as Cortes, Martín Bravo and Eduardo Herrera created a handful of scoring opportunities in the second half.
The attempts began early after halftime.
Cortes couldn't convert an opportunity with the Xolos goalkeeper on the ground. Cortes couldn't make clean contact with the ball and sent it wide to the right with an open net. It was Cortes' to kill after Saucedo slapped the ball out on a save off a Bravo shot.
Then Cortes sent a header five minutes later that bounced near the left post and rolled out of bounds.
Pumas striker Herrera had a shot of his own in the 78th minute. He hit the right post on a shot on goal. His blast ricocheted and landed near Cortes, who also sent a shot to only have it deflect off a Xolos defender in the penalty box.
A minute later, Herrera sent a header over the crossbar. The Xolos had dodged another one.
But perhaps the two most dangerous plays by Pumas came in the final five minutes.
Saucedo made a diving save to his left, blocking a shot by Bravo in the 86th minute. Then Bravo sent another blast over the crossbar four minutes later.
As much as the Xolos were as careful and fortunate not to allow a goal, Pumas could have given up a goal of its own.
Egidio Arevalo nearly gave the Xolos the win.
His header bounced off the left post. The ball continued to bounce parallel to the goal line and finished its track out of bounds.
It didn't find the net for the Xolos the same way it didn't for Pumas.
Tijuana would have been happy with the win but it will take the draw with some momentum going into the next tournament.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
