Photo: Xolos
Monterrey earn vital three points in tough visit to Tijuana
Monterrey’s visit to the border marked the return of Antonio Mohamed to Tijuana where the manager lifted the club’s only title in 2012.
If Mohamed already had an album full of fond memories from Tijuana, he was bound to collect one more on Saturday night as his present and former teams put up a show at the Caliente Stadium.
The visiting Rayados came out firing, attempting long shots from every angle in the first five minutes of the game and these were just a taste of what was to come for Tijuana’s goalkeeper, Cirilo Saucedo.
Seven minutes in, Tijuana’s Argentinian playmaker Gabriel Hauche teased the home crowd hitting a header into the net but this effort had come from an offside position. Minutes later, it was Hauche again who seemed destined to open the scoreboard wasting a golden opportunity one-on-one with Monterrey’s goalkeeper, Jonathan Orozco.
Just before the half hour mark, a penalty kick was awarded to Monterrey in a play involving Tijuana’s Javier Guemes and Monterrey’s Edwin Cardona. Guemes swung and missed the ball appearing to make contact with Cardona, but Tijuana’s midfielder pulled his leg before touching the Colombian. From the ref’s angle, this was hard to tell but a penalty it was.
It was Monterrey’s star player, Dorlan Pabon who would put the visitor’s ahead crossing his penalty shot to Saucedo’s right.
Minutes later, Tijuana earned a free kick from a spot where Juan Arango has proved highly effective this year, but the Venezuelan’s curling kick went high.
Soon after, the Xolos defense was caught off guard allowing Rayados to double their lead. Hiram Mier’s header from a corner kick fell onto an unmarked Pablo Barrera who did not hesitate and volleyed the ball home.
In the dying minutes of the first half, Hauche rescued a lost ball to earn a corner kick from which Tijuana would score their first goal of the night. Xolos captain, Javier Gandolfi, slid to send the ball into the net after Orozco had stopped Dayro Moreno’s shot.
The first half ended with the feeling that Tijuana might again overcome an early 0-2 deficit just like they did in their last home game against Pachuca.
Arango would get his second look at Orozco early in the 2nd half after Tijuana earned another free kick from a distance that seemed perfect for the Venezuelan. However, Arango’s shot crashed into the wall to the disappointment of the sell out crowd at the Caliente Stadium.
Third time was a charm for the Venezuelan as Xolos were awarded one more free kick in Arango-territory. Orozco stretched as long as he is, but Arango’s shot was far off the keeper’s reach.
Having pulled back from 0-2 down to 2-2. the momentum seemed to be swinging the Xolos’ way. But it was not to be as the joy of having tied the game did not last long for Tijuana.
Pablo Barrera fought for a ball in the air and his effort paid off as the ball floated straight into Edwin Cardona’s left foot who had no mercy on Saucedo smashing a volley hard and low into the keeper’s left post.
Just as Tijuana fell again in the scoreboard, there was light with a red card for Monterrey’s John Medina, who earned his 2nd yellow card of the evening..
With 10 men and Xolos risking it all, Monterrey’s counter attack turned deadly. Nery Cardozo and Dorlan Pabon combined to put the visitors two goals ahead with the Argentine finishing the give-and-go.
Time was running out for Tijuana when Henry Martin put the home crowd back on its feet once again, making it 3-4 with enough time on the clock for another miraculous comeback.
Xolos pressured, but Rayados were able to contain every effort.
In the final play of the game, Juan Arango appeared to have bitten Monterrey’s Jesus Zavala in the shoulder. The disciplinary committee will most likely punish Tijuana’s Venezuelan midfielder for this incident.
There were mixed fortunes for the Americans in the Xolos squad. Greg Garza started the game for Tijuana and was subbed out in the 65th minute as Daniel Guzman was forced to add more attackers to his squad being behind in the scoreboard. Garza was active in the left wing in attack and was overall on point on defense during the time he was on the field.
Joe Corona came in for an exhausted Javier Guemes in the 69th minute and did not do much to help Tijuana’s cause. He shot twice on goal, but neither were a threat to Jonathan Orozco’s goal.
