Xoloitzcuintles beats Monarcas Morelia 2-1 in Week 7 LIGA MX action

MORELIA, Mexico (Aug. 29, 2015) – Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles overcame a second half deficit to beat Monarcas Morelia 2-1 in Week 7 action of LIGA MX Saturday evening on the road at Estadio Morelos.

The win gives coach Ruben Romano’s team nine points in the standings and a 3-4 record in the 2015 Apertura tournament.

Goals from Captain Javier Gandolfi and Henry Martin led the Xoloitzcuintles to its third consecutive win on the road. Former Xoloitzcuintles midfielder Cristian Pellerano opened the scoring for the home side.

Pellerano blasted a shot from about 30-yards out that bounced off Club Tijuana goalkeeper Federico Vilar’s left post and found the bottom corner of the goal in the 60th minute.

Club Tijuana did not take long to respond. Venezuelan midfielder Juan Arango, celebrated a new call up to his National Team, by setting up the Xoloitzcuintles first goal. He took advantage of a foul near the Morelia penalty box to send in a precise free kick cross to where captain Javier Gandolfi ran and headed the ball past former Xoloitzcuintles goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo to tie the game.

The comeback was complete when young striker Henry Martin went and pressured the Morelia defense, stole the ball near the penalty box and dibbled it before shooting it past the goalkeeper to give Club Tijuana the 2-1 lead. The match began with both sides playing cautious to what the opposition could do, heading into halftime scoreless. Both teams came out in the second half determined to attack, forcing both goalkeepers to play on dangerous centered passes and strikes at goal.

Xoloitzcuintles goalkeeper Federico Vilar need to make some standout saves  on several long range shots. He has able to get a hand on the Pellerano shot but not enough to prevent the goal. Romano’s squad found new motivation to keep pushing forward and search for a go-ahead goal after tying the match 1-1. It was that motivation and determination that led Martin to push forward and pressure the Morelia defense in its own box. Martin took advantage of the mistake he forced on Morelia and create his scoring play.

Striker Dayro Moreno had a chance to seal the win in the 90th minute when he dribbled in on goal from a breakaway at midfield. He made a cut on the last defender allowing the Morelia goalkeeper, Saucedo, to charge at him and prevent the third goal.

Next up for the Xoloitzcuintles is a week off due to the international FIFA break and then it will host Chivas Guadalajara on Friday Sept. 11 in Week 8 action of the LIGA MX.

FINAL SCORE:

XOLOS 2, MORELIA 1

SCORING

1-0– 60^th– Cristian Pellerano- Morelia

1-1  62^nd– Javier Gandolfi- Tijuana

2-1  69^th– Henry Martin- Tijuana

Rosters:

Tijuana: 3. Javier Gandolfi, 6. Jose Cardenas (Gabriel Hauche 72^nd), 8. Diego de Buen, 11. Henry Martin, 16. Michael Orozco, 17. Dayro Moreno, 18. Juan Arango (Carlos Guzman 83rd), 22. Juan Carlos Nuñez, 29. Rodrigo Salinas (Antonio Madueñas 63^rd), 30. Leiton Jimenez, 33. Federico Vilar

Coach: Ruben Omar Romano

Morelia: 2. Enrique Perez, 3. Jose Olvera, 4. Marco Torsiglieri, 5. Facundo Erpen, 7. Pablo Velazquez, 8. Juan Rodriguez (Miguel Sansores 72^nd), 13. Cirilo Saucedo, 16. Cristian Pellerano, 23. Jefferson Cuero, 24. Dieter Villalpando, (Mauro cejas 78^th) 30. Ignacio Gonzalez (Armando Zamorano 73^rd)

Coach: Enrique Meza