Tijuana Xolos Liga MX AP 2018 Week 5 Recap: Club Tijuana Still Winless On The Road With 3-0 Loss To Toluca
Credit: Imago 7
The Tijuana Xolos played their fifth game in the Liga MX 2018 Apertura on Sunday, Aug.19, against Toluca at the Estadio Nemesio Diez. The Aztec Canines were winless in their last three games heading into this clash and were looking to turn things around.
Club Tijuana was unable to accomplish this as the Border City Dogs suffered a woeful 3-0 loss against Los Diablos Rojos. Julian Velazquez was not available for the game and Diego Cocca decided to replace him with Hiram Munoz, which was not the best decision. The Argentine manager also reinserted Luis Chavez into the starting 11 and started Diego Gonzalez for a second consecutive game.
The home team struck in the 25th minute with a headed goal by Enrique Triverio from a corner kick by former Xolos’ midfielder Luis Angel Mendoza. The goal was also the product of bad coordination between Gibran Lajud and the Xolos’ backline along with faulty positioning by the Xoloitzcuintles’ goalkeeper. Antonio Rios then scored off a potent free kick just nine minutes later in the 34th minute to extend Toluca’s lead to two goals.
Gibran Lajud committed another fatal error on the play as the shot deflected off his hand to find the back of the net. The Xolos were down by two goals after the first 45 minutes and the hope of obtaining a favorable result dwindled down in the second half.
In the 64th minute, the Xolos chances of getting a win were extinguished as centre-back Hiram Munoz received a direct red card after a ridiculous tackle on Alexis Vega. The Xolos were down to 10 men and were not generating much of anything going forward. Alexis Vega then scored in the 73rd minute to seal Los Diablos Rojos’ 3-0 win against the Aztec Canines at the Estadio Nemesio Diez.
Club Tijuana’s performance was dreadful, the attack was uninspiring, and the defense, along with goalkeeper Gibran Lajud, was woeful. Diego Cocca’s team finished the game with more possession than Toluca and 10 total shots, but nothing to show for it.
The Xolos are now winless in their last four league games and will look to change that trend against Santos Laguna this Wednesday.
Xolos’ Starting Lineup: Gibran Lajud, Omar Mendoza (60’ Eryc Castillo), Hiram Munoz, Juan Carlos Valenzuela, Luis Fuentes, Diego Rodriguez (45’ Jesus Angulo), Ignacio Rivero, Diego Gonzalez, Luis Chavez, Miller Bolanos (77’ Gustavo Canto), Juan Martin Lucero
Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.
