Paul Arriola was on target for Xolos in their 6-2 win
Photo: Val Vital
On Sale Now: 2016-17 The-Year in Mexican Soccer with Foreword by Miguel Herrera
Paul Arriola’s amazing night
USMNT international Paul Arriola had quite an eventful night in Tijuana on Friday.
His Xolos side rebounded from their opening day loss in Morelia with a pulsating 6-2 win over a hapless Puebla side, who have now conceded nine goals in their opening two games.
Arriola’s excellent adventure began on the wrong foot however when, after a composed beginning, he needlessly upended Cristian Esperza just inside the Xolos penalty box, leaving referee Jorge Duran no choice but to award a penalty. It was a clumsy tackle rather than a malicious one, ill judged but certainly not violent. It allowed a disjointed Puebla side a barely deserved chance to equalise which they duly did.
Arriola’s head did not remain down for long.
In Miguel Herrera’s 3-5-2 formation, the natural midfielder is still learning the dark art of defending but he managed to combine his two roles in the immediate aftermath, while being honest about the steep learning curve he has been asked to embark on in Herrera’s system.
From barely three yards outside his own penalty box and not very far from his foul seconds before, he launched a massive pass upfield with deadly accuracy. It bounced into the path of Colombian Aviles Hurtado, who controlled the bouncing ball through the acreage of the Puebla’s largely vacated half before finishing coolly and sublimely past Puebla’s Argentine goalkeeper Cristian Cempestrini.
Arriola was honest about the challenges in front of him:
“The penalty comes at the cost of me still trying to learn how to be a defender and learn how to cover people’s back and continue to look behind you. It is something I have to continue to work on. But after that I was able to pick my head up and keep moving forward.
It’s tough, it’s not easy (to play as a defender). I like to get forward I like to run up the line. But then I have to run back so for me it becomes a little more of a fitness thing to go forward and come back. I have to be able to pick and choose my moments when to go forward. I know I’m going to face some good players some good wingers like today with Esparza who took me down the line and created a penalty. For me it’s a learning process but as long as my teammates and my coach have faith in me I’ll continue to have faith in myself.”
While most eyes were on Aviles the goalscorer, Arriola’s personal celebration was a sight to behold, performing a glory dance, overtly absent of any pre-planning, but resplendent with emotion, passion and the kind of natural joy professional players are often accused of lacking.
Arriola was modest about his contribution:
“Aviles was able to do the best work. I just played the ball up looking to play the ball to his feet and he let it go and it went past and he finishes it. It was a big relief for me because you never know if we go into halftime at 1-1 how the team will be feeling. So to be able to go in at 2-1 specifically for me I felt a little better.“
As if an assist from within chatting distance of his own keeper wasn’t enough, Arriola repeated the feat of retaking the lead within seconds of losing it in the second half with a stunning strike.
After his goal, Arriola may or may not have shed a tear /Photo: Itzel Segura (Prost Amerika)
Puebla had just pulled the match back to 2-2, when the American launched a ferocious volley into the Puebla net for a 3-2 lead shortly after half time.
“I don’t think it could’ve been any better timing. With (the score) 2-2, they had just scored and people started to put their heads down. The ball came to me, I took a touch and then just let it rip,” he noted.
This time, the home side did not relinquish the lead and the game drifted away from the visitors after Roberto Herrera was sent off for downing an opponent who was clear through on goal.
Xolos ran out with a thumping 6-2 win with another American, the returning Joe Corona, on the scoresheet to celebrate the night of the club’s tenth anniversary. Hurtado added his second with Milton Caraglio and Victor Malcorra also netting. The excellent Malcorra had a hat trick of assists to go with his goal, while Corona completed a remarkable journey having scored the club’s first Primera Division goal. In short, there was no shortage of candidates for Man of the Match.
Arriola’s work was not done.
He stopped for three different Spanish language interviews all presumably asking him much the same questions, in contrast to others who stuck their heads down and walked by. Plaudits must also go to the Puebla keeper Campestrini who, even after shipping six goals, had time for interviews.
Arriola has to capture the heart of new US head coach Bruce Arena
Although Arriola was firmly in Jurgen Klinsmann’s sights at the international level, the coaching change presents new challenges to attract attention to his club performances, especially given Bruce Arena’s long history and knowledge of Major League Soccer.
“Luckily I had him when I was in LA training with the Galaxy first team. The good thing about Bruce is that he is old fashioned and loves America and believes a lot in the MLS. I think it is a different style than before with (Jurgen) Klinsmann. Klinsmann would go out and look for new players with dual-nationalities but for me that I’m so close to the border, people might not consider TJ so far off from MLS so it’s good.”
As luck would have it, Arena’s first game is in nearby San Diego offering Arriola an opportunity not only to advance his cause but to cheer on the country he loves:
“I’ll be there on the 29th to watch them play against Serbia at Qualcomm Stadium and I’ll have a chat with him and the rest of my teammates that I haven’t seen in a while.”
Perhaps while he’s in the area, Arena might care to cross the border and check up for himself the current form of Xolos’ large American contingent.
On Sale Now: 2016-17 The-Year in Mexican Soccer with Foreword by Miguel Herrera
