Xoloitzcuintles undefeated, beat host Necaxa 2-1 in Week 3 match

AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico (Aug. 18, 2015)– Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles remains undefeated in the Copa MX after a 2-1 win against host Necaxa Tuesday night at Estadio Victoria.

Alfredo Moreno and Antonio Madueña scored for coach Ruben Romano’s team. Oliver Ortiz found the net for “Los Rayados” in the Week 3 match in Group 5 of the competition pairing First and Second Division teams.

The first leg of the home-and-home series had Moreno giving the Xoloitzcuintles a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute. Club Tijuana took a 2-0 lead in the 22nd after Madueña’s score and went into the half leading 2-1 after Ortiz scored in the 44th for Necaxa.

The win gives Club Tijuana (3-0-0) 10 points in the standings after also beating Zacatepec 2-1 in both matches of the series against that Second Division squad.

Moreno opened the scoring when he took a Madueña pass near the top of the penalty area. He made a quick turn and fired a right-footed low blast, hitting the right post. The ball ricocheted into the net past Necaxa goalkeeper Victor Hernandez. Madueña sent in his goal when he sprinted up field on the right side. He flicked a volley over the head of Hernandez, placing the ball on the inside left wall of the net. Madueña was able to send his shot across the penalty area with a defender running parallel on his left shoulder. Club Tijuana led 2-0 with that goal.

Necaxa cut the lead when Ortiz headed in a centered free kick to the mouth of the goal, beating Xoloitzcuintles goalkpeer Gibran Lajud. Xoloitzcuintles forward Amando Moreno nearly scored when he sent a right-footed shot from left to right but hit the far upright seconds before the halftime whistle. Necaxa came out looking to pressure the Club Tijuana defense early in the second half with a couple of threats. It moved the ball throughout the field. But Romano’s team was able to adjust and kept the ball away for the later moments of the match.

Club Tijuana is juggling the Copa MX in the middle of the workweek during the First Division calendar in the LIGA MX, Mexico’s top-flight league. Romano mostly uses younger players who sparingly contribute or play fewer roles with the senior team competing in the LIGA MX 2015 Apertura of the First Division.

The Xoloitzcuintles return to LIGA MX action when it hosts Tigres UANL Friday Aug. 21 in a Week 6 match at Estadio Caliente. Club Tijuana resumes Copa MX competition Wednesday Aug. 26 when it hosts Necaxa in the second leg of the series.

FINAL SCORE:

XOLOS 2, NECAXA 1 

SCORING

9^th –Alfredo Moreno- TIJUANA

22^nd– Antonio Madueña –TIJUANA

44^th – Oliver Ortiz -Necaxa 

Rosters:

Tijuana: 4. Uriel Alvarez, 5. Elio Castro, 9. Alfredo Moreno (21^st Paul Arriola), 15. Carlos Guzman, 19. Jose Garcia (Humberto Osorio 80^th), 24. Luis Chavez (Edgar Villegas 70^th), 25. Gibran Lajud, 27. Antonio Madueña, 31. Pedro Hernandez, 293. Amando Moreno, 296. Christian Torres

Coach: Ruben Omar Romano

Necaxa: 3. Marcos Gonzalez, 5. Oliver Ortiz, 6. Antonio Gallardo, 10. Victor Lojero, 11. Jesus Isijara, 13. Abraham Coronado (Luis Gallegos 63^rd), 16. Carlos Trevino, 30. Victor Hernandez, 31. Jonathan Valdivia, 32. Alan Garcia (Rodrigo Pietro 60^th), 96. Ricardo Martinez (Jose Velasco 77^th).

Coach: Miguel Fuentes