STRONG STAND IN TIJUANA
Club Tijuana 1-0 Monarcas Morelia; LIGA Bancomer MX- 2014 Clausura:; Week 4
TIJUANA –Javier Gandolfi scored a second half goal to lead Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente to a 1-0 win against visiting Monarcas Morelia in a Week 4 match of the LIGA Bancomer MX-2014 Clausura Friday night at Estadio Caliente.
Gandolfi broke the scoreless tie in the 62nd minute. The Xoloitzcuintles captain raced behind the Morelia defense and got a head on a Fidel Martinez centered free kick, sending it past Morelia goalkeeper Carlos Rodriguez into the back of the net. It was a play that broke a tight match with both teams looking to break free at midfield as Club Tijuana tried to push its lines up field.
The win gives Club Tijuana (2-1-1, 7 points) another three points in the standings after losing to Pachuca 2-1 on the road last week, beating Club America 1-0 at home and playing to a 0-0 tie with Atlas FC in Guadalajara in the season opener. The Xoloitzcuintles are also unbeaten in its last 11 matches at Estadio Caliente.
“We are showing that this team is growing and that it is on good path,” said Club Tijuana coach Cesar Farias. “We are going to work hard. The key is to play good soccer and play well against each rival.”
Against an organized rival like Morelia, the Xoloitzcuintles came out pressuring Morelia, pushing the visitors to their side of the field. Club Tijuana generated a handful of dangerous attacking plays. Forward Herculez Gomez came out fast as he penetrated the Monarcas penalty area, sending a shot but it sailed high and wide of the mark in the eight minute. Cristian Pellerano tried a couple of shots from outside the area but both sailed wide off the mark.
Fernando Arce tried a bicycle kick inside the six-yard box but it bounced just outside the goal line and the Monarcas defense cleared it away.
Farias used Cirilo Saucedo as his starting goalkeeper while Edgar Castillo, Elio Castro, Juan Carlos Nunez and Gandolfi were the four-man backline. Javier Guemez, Arce and Pellerano were the midfielders while Juan Hernandez, Gomez and Martinez were the forwards. Farias used Richard Ruiz, Dario Benedetto and Jose Garcia as second half subs. It was Garcia’s debut in the First Division. He nearly scored seconds after he came on in the 74th minute for Hernandez. Garcia sprinted into the area from the right side and faced Rodriguez, the Monarcas goalkeeper. Rodriguez blocked Garcia’s point-blank shot near the post.
The Xoloitzcuintles travel to Mexico City to face Pumas UNAM in a Week 5 match at Estadio Universitario (10 a.m. Pacific). Club Tijuana then returns to Tijuana to host Rayados de Monterrey in a Week 6 match up at Estadio Caliente.
