Xolos lose 4-1 vs. Pachuca in first match without Osorio
Credit: Jeremy Collins(XoloGuero)/EVT Sports
The Tijuana Xolos played Pachuca at the Estadio Hidalgo for a game in the Liga MX Clausura 2025.
Club Tijuana is undergoing a transitional phase now without former manager Juan Carlos Osorio.
The Colombian head coach was having an awful season, with the club in dead last and with the worst defense in the league. However, the Border City team did not look much better in the first game since his departure from the club.
Former assistant manager Cirilo Saucedo is in charge of Club Tijuana and is expected to finish out the campaign. Saucedo switched up the lineup a bit, starting Joaquin Fernandez and Ramiro Franco, who have not received many starting opportunities this season.
Con dedicatoria hasta Uruguay.
Aquí está el MISIL que salió de la zurda de Homenchenko.
@Tuzos 1-0 @Xolos
#Jornada12 #Clausura2025 #LaLigaDeLaAfición pic.twitter.com/81xmqHFhrK
— Liga BBVA MX (@LigaBBVAMX) March 17, 2025
Pachuca really controlled the game from the start, and the Xoloitzcuintles were clearly struggling with a new manager at the helm. The home team began the onslaught of goals in the 25th minute via a free-kick goal by Santiago Homenchenko. The Uruguayan midfielder fired a very powerful strike from beyond the penalty arc that left Antonio Rodriguez powerless in net.
John Kennedy extended Pachuca’s lead with a goal in the 32nd minute. The goal was a very well-constructed play by Los Tuzos where Oussama Idrissi controlled the sphere on the left flank and sent a cross into Kennedy in front of Xolos’ net.
Pachuca had 68 percent possession in the first half and really controlled the match against Club Tijuana. Los Tuzos really turned down the intensity in the second half, but were still able to score two goals in it.
The third goal of the night came in the 54th minute when Salomon Rondon fired a potent strike from just inside the box. Luis Rodriguez delivered the ball to the Venezuelan striker in a play where Xolos’ marking was slow to react and very sloppy.
Raul Zuniga has been one of the few positives for Club Tijuana this season, and he managed to score in the 88th minute. The consolation goal came via a shot by “La Pantera” just inside the penalty area after good link-up play with Shamar Nicholson.
La Pantera siempre anota para los @Xolos y aquí te dejamos el descuento de Zúñiga.
#Jornada12 #Clausura2025 #LaLigaDeLaAfición pic.twitter.com/jlGLLJgRbP
— Liga BBVA MX (@LigaBBVAMX) March 17, 2025
The final goal of the night almost seemed like overkill by the home team in a goal that came off a fantasy play by Salomon Rondon. The Venezuelan forward seemingly effortlessly sent in a perfect chipped-through pass to Juan Sigala in the box.
The young Mexican forward just tapped the ball to get it to the back of the net, which was a phenomenal goal. That goal really put a nail in the coffin, sealing a massive 4-1 victory for Pachuca. Cirilo Saucedo tried to make some changes in the second half, bringing on Gilberto Mora Jr., Joe Corona, Shamar Nicholson, and Ramiro Arciga, but it was really all for nothing.
Xolos was completely dominated in this match, with no real moment in the match that made it remotely competitive for the opposition. Club Tijuana has a lot of uncertainty at the moment, even with the interim manager. Reports suggests, Saucedo will manage on the sidelines, but that Dorados’ manager Sebastian Abreu will be charge of the training sessions.
Second-tier side Dorados de Sinaloa is currently playing home games at Estadio Caliente due to violence in Culiacan. Abreu is a very inexperienced manager, but it seems that Club Tijuana is trying to take advantage of that multi-ownership in this situation.
After this result, the Xoloitzcuintles are still in last place with just five games to go in the season.
Francisco, 28, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego FC, San Diego Wave. I have covered Liga MX, MLS, Mexico National Team, USWNT, Copa América and European clubs like Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund.