Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente defeated Atlante FC 2-0 at the Caliente stadium Saturday during week 8 action of the Clausura 2013 of La Liga MX. Tijuana had lost their last two Liga MX games, including a home game against Club America.
This is the second game Xolos win in the last week. The rojinegros defeated Millonarios FC of Colombia in Copa Libertadores action. Because the team traveled to Colombia, Antonio Mohamed had to give some players rest. This was an opportunity for players who do not have much game time. The alternate players were up for the challenge.
“We knew Xolos was a solid team,” Atlante Coach Daniel Guzman said about the team after the game. “We wanted to measure ourselves against them. But a defensive error cost us the first goal in the second minute.”
The game had just gotten underway when the alternate Xolos squad put the ball in the net. Argentine Diego Olsina took the ball all the way to the line and centered. Goalkeeper Jorge Villalpando was waiting for the ball in front of his net. However, the ball sailed over the keeper towards Raul Enriquez who had beaten his marker and headed the ball past the keeper for the lead in the second minute of play.
The visiting squad did not let the goal slow them down. Guzman’s team increased the pressure on Xolos looking to close the gap. The Potros lacked creativity in the final 20 yards firing from long distances in an attempt to catch Cirilo Saucedo off his line.
Olsina was a constant terror to the Atlante defense. The Argentine was all over the field setting plays earning free kicks in dangerous positions. The Atlante defense earned a pair of bookings trying to contain the Xolos wingers.
Atlante began the second half with a good shot. Arturo Muñoz came close in the opening minutes; the closest Potros came to breaking Saucedo’s net.
Xolos kept passing by the defense with ease, but the blaugranas would work the offside play effectively. The Aztec dogs broke the net twice where they fell to Atlante’s offside trap.
The game changed when Mohamed brought in Argentine Cristian Pellerano and Colombian Duvier Riascos in the second half. Instantly the new additions made a difference on the pitch with Pellerano recovering the ball from the midfielders and Riascos troubling the defense.
With less than five minutes left in the game Xolos doubled their lead. Argentine Alfredo Moreno centered to Riascos who had beaten the defenders with Villalpando off his line. Riascos simply pushed the ball into the open net to put the game 2-0 in Xolos’ favor.
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