Xolos visit Mazatlan for must-win game: Tijuana Xolos 2023 Clausura Preview
Game: Tijuana Mazatlan FC vs Tijuana Xolos
Where: Estadio de Mazatlan, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico
When: Friday, April 14, 2023
Time: 8:05 p.m. PST
TV: VIX+
The Tijuana Xolos will play Mazatlan FC at the “Kraken” this Friday, April 14, in what is a must-win match for the Border City Dogs. Club Tijuana is currently in penultimate place on the Liga MX table with 12 points but is only three points out of a playoff spot.
There are only three games left in the 2023 Liga MX Clausura season, as all three games are must-win games for Miguel Herrera’s team. The Xoloitzcuintles are coming off a disastrous 2-1 loss to Queretaro at the Estadio Caliente that left fans booing their own team and Joaquin Montecinos in tears. Montecinos has come out since then saying that Club Tijuana “deserved” the boos and jeers, as this season has been anything but ideal for the border city club.
It is clear that Miguel Herrera will request several changes for his squad for next season as Club Tijuana just looks to end this season as least painful as possible.
The Aztec Canines have been terrible on the road, with no wins, five losses, and a draw from six away games this season. However, Mazatlan is the worst home team in the league, with only a win and six losses at the “Kraken” in the 2023 Clausura. The port city team has been one of the worst teams in the Liga MX this season, currently dead last on the table with just seven points.
Mazatlan is coming off a shocking 2-1 win against Tigres UANL away from home, but the game can only be seen as an anomaly, given the circumstances. The Sinaloa-based team has some interesting players like Ake Loba and Nicolas Benedetti, but it is still one of the weakest rosters in the Liga MX by far. Former Xolos manager Ruben Omar Romano leads the charge at Mazatlan as he tries to get every point possible out of this season to evade the club from paying an enormous relegation fee.
Players to Watch
Joaquin Montecinos
Montecinos scored Club Tijuana’s only goal in their 2-1 loss to Queretaro and left the game in tears on the pitch. The Chilean forward has shown his passion and talent throughout the season, as he should definitely be receiving more minutes on the pitch than he has.
Nicolas Benedetti
Despite Mazatlan’s uninspiring campaign, Benedetti has been having an excellent season and clearly needs to move on to a better team. The Colombian playmaker has four goals and three assists on the season and has been Mazatlan’s best player by far. The 25-year-old is a complete player as he excels in playmaking abilities like passing and dribbling, but also has a lethal shot that can be troublesome from anywhere on the field.
Prediction
EVT predicts a 2-1 win for Club Tijuana in what is expected to be a very hard-fought match at the “Kraken”. A draw is no good for any of the two teams as both Miguel Herrera and Ruben Omar Romano are surely to take several risks throughout the 90 minutes of play.
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.
