Photo Credit: Itzel Segura / Prost Amerika
By Jonny Rico
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Tijuana is all the way at the top, and not just geographically. The Xolos currently sit at the top of the Liga MX table with one game remanding in the regular season. The Xoloitzcuintles can seal the top spot of the league 2017 Clausura with a win Saturday night at home against Veracruz. The Xolos finished the previous 2016 Apertura regular season as the league leaders and now the team looks to do so again in consecutive seasons.
Club Tijuana currently sits in first place of the table with 28 points in 16 matches, one point clear of second place Monterrey who are in second place with 27 points. Atlas, Chivas and Toluca (26 points) and even Santos (25 points) are all within striking distance of Xolos. A win for the Tijuana side on Saturday would put them out of reach in the top spot.
Finishing at the top of the league table will have the perk of being able to host the return leg throughout the entire playoffs. A benefit that could go a long way seeing as how strong Xolos become when playing at home.
In the way of Xolos and their second consecutive top of the table finish is Club Tiburones Rojos of Veracruz. The southern port side is technically still involved in the race to avoid relegation, although for all practical reasons have already assured salvation. Veracruz is currently in 16th place (third from bottom) in the percentage table. They have 117 points in 101 matches. They are three points clear of Chiapas FC (114 points in 101 matches). But Veracruz have the added benefit of having a goal difference of -38 while Chiapas FC has a goal difference of -50.
The only way Veracruz will be relegated is if Veracruz loses to Tijuana Xolos, Chiapas FC defeats Atlas (3rd place) and there is enough goals in both matches to cover a 12 goal difference as well as Morelia beating CF Monterrey (2nd place) in Monterrey.
But due to the fact that mathematically Veracruz are still involved in the race to avoid relegation, the Xolos-Veracruz match had to be rescheduled. The league officials decided that all three teams involved in the relegation campaign would play their final games at the same time. So Tijuana Xolos will not be playing at their regularly scheduled Friday night.
Kickoff at Estadio Caliente in Tijuana is scheduled for Saturday May 6 at 7:00 pm (Pacific) / 10:00 (Eastern).
SCORING TITLE ALSO ON THE LINE
There is more on the line for Tijuana Xolos than just the top of the league table. Colombian forward Aviles Hurtado is currently in the running to win the 2017 Clausura Golden Boot award. Hurtado has netted a total of eight goals this season and is at the top of the scoring charts along with Matias Alustiza (Atlas), Oribe Peralta (Club America), Raul Ruidiaz (Morelia) and Nicolas Castillo (Pumas UNAM) all of whom also have eight goals.
Hurtado looks to become only the second Xoloitzcuintle to win the Golden Boot award in Liga MX. Last season the Xolos had their first ever scoring champion. Colombian striker Dayro Moreno finished the season with 11 goals at the top of the scoring charts along with Ruidiaz who also had 11.
