TIJUANA The city's professional soccer team, the Xoloitzcuintles, has virtually sold out all of its season tickets, guaranteeing a full house for the upcoming Clausura tournament.
The team announced through Twitter that only a few season passes behind the players' benches at Caliente Stadium remained for sale.
Meanwhile, the team announced Saturday the signing of Colombian forward Duvier Riascos to reinforce its offensive line. He played for Puebla in the just-concluded tournament. In 2010, he was the scoring champion in China's SuperLiga, where he scored 24 goals in 39 games.
The Xolos play a friendly match Wednesday at Caliente Stadium as part of their preseason training, squaring off against the Tiburones of Veracruz. Tickets, which cost 50 pesos (about $3.60), are for sale and 2012 season ticket holders get in for free.
The Tijuana team also is to play a friendly match in San Diego County on Dec. 28 against Atlante, though a location has not been announced.
The home opener of the regular Clausura season is Jan. 15, when the Xolos face off against the Rayados of Monterrey.
The team has virtually sold out of the season tickets, known as Xolospass, despite playing unevenly in its first outing in Mexico's premier First Division. The team fired its coach mid-season and ended as the No. 15 club among 18 teams points-wise.
In the 2012 Clausura season, the Xolos will host three of the so-called "big teams" of Mexican futbol, Cruz Azul, Pumas and América, which led to the season passes selling briskly despite a 20 per cent price increase from the previous year.
Since the season tickets when on sale on Dec. 5, long lines have formed outside Caliente Stadium, where prices ranged from 1,760 pesos (about $127) to 3,040 pesos ($219).
The team announced that a limited number of tickets will be sold for each home game for those who do not have the season pass.
The upcoming season is of vital importance to the Xolos. The team that ends with the worse record will be demoted to Mexico's second-tier league. The Xolos ended the previous season in next to last place in the standings, which means that Tijuana will be fighting from day one with the teams that finished last Atlas and Estudiantes to stay out of the cellar.
Meanwhile, the team announced Saturday that Riascos, 25, would be joining the Xolos. He is the second player from Colombia to be signed by Tijuana, joining countryman Dayro Moreno in the offense, which also includes Mexicans Raúl Enríquez and Ismael Íñiguez as well as Argentinian José Sand.
Riascos began his professional career at age 19 playing for América de Cali. He went on to play for Real Cartagena and Deportivo Cali also in his native land. Then it was on to Estudiantes de Mérida in Venezuela. From there he played in China, and this year, for Mexico's First Division team of Puebla.
Alexandra.mendoza@sandieogred.com
