Xoloitzcuintles allow goals in each half in 2-1 loss to “Tuzos”

PACHUCA, Mexico. –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles began a new chapter Saturday night. A new coach, new players and a new season brought a new era under head coach Ruben Omar Romano.

And the Xoloitzcuintles began the 2015 Apertura with a 2-1 loss to host Pachuca FC at Estadio Hidalgo.

Ariel Nahuelpan and Jonathan Urretaviscaya (20th and 77th minute) scored for Pachuca while Tijuana newcomer Felipe Flores scored (63rd) for the Xolos in the Week 1 match of the LIGA MX, Mexico’s Top-Flight league.

Flores converted a penalty kick into the upper-left corner of Oscar Perez’ net to tie the match 1-1. Pachuca was whistled for the penalty kick when Aquivaldo Mosqueda took down new Tijuana defender Leiton Jimenez in the area a minute earlier. But it wasn’t enough.

Pachuca had taken a 1-0 lead when Nahuelpan took a Ruben Botta pass inside the area and blasted a left-footed shot past Club Tijuana goalkeeper Federico Vilar. A wide-open Nehuelpan sneaked behind defender Michael Orozco to set up the play.

The host team sent in the game winner and sealed three points in the standings when Urretaviscaya sent in a rolling cross by Nahuelpan on a breakaway. Nahuelpan, challenged by Vilar, sent the pass from left to right, beating Xolos defender Juan Carlos Nuñez to the ball at the mouth of the goal.

The Xoloitzcuintles finished with 10 men after Rodrigo Salinas was sent off with a direct red card in injury time for a foul on Cristian Penilla.

Club Tijuana is coming off an offseason that included many roster changes and the hiring of Romano, a veteran coach in Mexican soccer. The Xoloitzcuintles brought in nine new players for its first team squad. Romano used six of them Saturday against Pachuca. Rodrigo Salinas, Flores, Vilar, Orozco and Jimenez were part of the first 11 while Jose Cardenas was a second half substitute. Uriel Alvarez, Diego de Buen and Carlos Guzman were also offseason additions.

The Xoloitzcuintles will return to Tijuana for two matches next week. Romano’s squad opens Copa MX, a competition between First and Second Division teams, Tuesday against Zacatepec. Club Tijuana then returns to LIGA MX action for its home opener against Dorados de Sinaloa, recently promoted to the First Division, in a Week 2 match Friday July 31 at Estadio Caliente.

FINAL SCORE:

PACHUCA 2, XOLOS 1

 SCORING

1-0: 20^th– Nahuelpan- Pachuca

1-1: 63^rd– Flores- Tijuana

2-1: 77^th – Urretaviscaya- Pachuca

Rosters:

Tijuana: 33. Federico Vilar 2. Leiton Jimenez, 3. Javier Gandolfi, 7. Gabriel Hauche, 16. Michael Orozco, 17. Dayro Moreno (Jose Cardenas 45^th), 22. Juan Carlos Nuñez, 23. Felipe Flores (Henry Martin 81^st), 29. Rodrigo Salinas, 31. Pedro Hernandez, 14. Alejandro Guido (Paul Arriola 62^nd).

Pachuca: 21. Oscar Perez, 3. Aquivaldo Mosquera, 7. Rodolfo Pizarro (Jonathan Urretaviscaya 65^th), 9. Ariel Nahuelpan, 12. Heriberto Olvera, 16. Jorge Hernandez, 4. Hugo Rodriguez, 8. Hirving Lozano (Fernando Madrigal 87^th), 11. Ruben Motta (Cristian Penilla 75^th), 15. Erick Gutierrez, 18. Jose Martinez.