Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles will play another night game Saturday.
This time the team hosts the Diablos Rojos de Toluca at Estadio Caliente starting at 7 p.m.
The Xolos appear to have adjusted well playing at home under the lights or playing outside their usual Sunday noon starts.
Tijuana is 3-2 since last summer during other start times. They lost to Morelia and Chivas de Guadalajara, beat Pachuca and Jaguares de Chiapas in the Apertuta tournament. The latter two were both 5 p.m. starts.
Then there was their 1-0 dramatic win against Monterrey with a last second goal, also under the lights.
The Xolos (3-1-3, 12 points) will try to continue their unbeaten streak at night against Toluca (4-2-1, 13 points).
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And this could be the Xolos' toughest and most important game this tournament. Tijuana is coming off a 2-0 road win against Queretaro.
A win against the Diablos Rojos, and Tijuana can move up to fourth place in the standings. That's the position Toluca holds heading into Saturday night's game.
Tijuana is the No. 8 team in the standings. If the season would to end today, coach Antonio Mohamed's team would clinch a slot in the post-season or "liguilla," as it is known in Spanish.
Toluca could be Tijuana's toughest opponent since moving up to the Primera División. This Toluca team leads the league in scoring, with 14 goals. It is coming off a 3-1 win against Chiapas. It is led by former Tijuana coach Wilson Granioalati, who was the Xolos coach at one point when the club played in the Liga de Ascenso or second division.
Tijuana's defensive style could be truly tested Saturday night. It's going to be interesting to see how Mohamed's line of five defenders holds up against the Diablos Rojos.
Toluca's high-powered offense is led by striker Iván Alonso. He's scored eight times this tournament, three better than Morelia's Miguel Sabah and Tijuana's José Sand, both with five.
"We hope that we can win Saturday," Sand said. "It's always hot (on the artificial turf) on Sundays. Let's see how it feels at 7 p.m."
Xolos defender Juan Nuñez added: "We won't worry about the start time. We must face each match the same way if it's on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. We have to have the same mentality for each game."
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
[sidebar]Game day
What: Toluca at Xolos
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Estadio Caliente
Outlook: The Xolos will be playing at 7 p.m. for the first time at Estadio Caliente. And it might be good timing for a prime-time start since they host Toluca, one of the league's better teams. A win here could send the Xolos within the top four teams in the standings. A loss could set them back outside the top eight teams.
TV:
Azteca America
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