Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente launched this season with the slogan “A new era begins” and their first game under Miguel Herrera as coach was the confirmation that this team has changed.
Perhaps the team disappointed those who hoped for the victory, but their opponent CF Pachuca was a difficult test for the new Xolos and a tie should not be viewed as a failure, seeing that the team has been transformed under their new mentor and more importantly they did not lose, which became a habit at home last season.
Tijuana’s team tied 1-1 and earned their first point of the season and they could have won tonight but they need to be more accurate when they have chances inside the opposing team’s box.
In the opening minutes striker Dayro Moreno along with Gabriel Hauche had a number of opportunities but were not successful, instead defender Carlos Guzman was the night’s hero after scoring a breathtaking goal from the 18-yard box.
Guzman caught everyone by surprise when an opposing defender headed the ball and instead of getting it out of danger it landed on Guzman’s right foot, he then fooled another defender that he was going to take a shot and instead placed the ball in his left foot and sent a strike into the upper left post of the net leaving goalkeeper Oscar Perez without a chance.
Little by little Pachuca secured more possession of the ball and also, began fabricating chances of a goal until they found the equalizer when forward Franco Jara took advantage of the Xolos weak defending after another attacker flicked the ball on with his head and it arrived at Jara’s feet who had eluded the defender assigned to cover him to easily beat goalkeeper Federico Vilar in the 43rd minute.
In the closing minutes Moreno had his last two opportunities to award the team a needed victory but once again he became the villain since he missed those simple options at goal.
Since his debut with Xolos he remains an inconsistent player who scores a lot of goals, some even spectacular but he wastes a lot of possibilities, something that has to change to fully reach a new era in Tijuana.
