Tijuana Xolos Liga MX 2018 AP Week 7 Preview: Xolos Look To Halt Winless Streak Against Bottom Feeders Veracruz
Credit: Xolos
Game: Veracruz vs Tijuana Xolos
When: Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018
Where: Estadio Luis “Pirata” Fuente, Veracruz, Mexico
Time: 6:30 P.M. PST
TV: Azteca 7 (Mexico)
The Tijuana Xolos will play their seventh game in the Liga MX 2018 Apertura this Saturday as the Aztec Canines will face Veracruz away from home at the Estadio Luis “Pirata” Fuente. The game is set to be a straightforward encounter for the Xolos as Veracruz is one of the weakest teams in the league.
The Border City Dogs are winless in their last five league games and needed an opponent like this to get back on track. Club Tijuana is coming off a 2-2 draw against Santos Laguna in Week 6 of the competition in what proved to be an exciting match at the Estadio Caliente.
The Xoloitzcuintles had a 2-1 lead, but gave up a late goal in the 90th minute that would lead to the draw. The Xolos have had serious problems going forward, but it seems like Diego Cocca has found more options in Fabian Castillo and Eryc Castillo.
This pairing with Miller Bolanos is a lethal combination going forward and should be present in this match. Julian Velazquez has been ruled out of the game as Gustavo Canto and the Xolos’ backline will try and stay consistent.
Veracruz only has four points after six games and is currently in penultimate place in the 2018 Apertura. The team has had some serious off-the-field the problems and is currently being investigated for tax fraud.
The front office had a dispute with former manager Guillermo Vazquez and decided to hire Juvenal Olmos, who has not coached in 11 years. The team is a mess on and off the field as Los Tiburones Rojos have lost their last two games and have also failed to score in this span.
The team has some intriguing players going forward, like the speedy and skillful Adrian Luna and the team captain and target man Cristian Menendez. However, the midfield is not great and the defense is the worst in the league with 13 goals allowed so far.
The Estadio Luis “Pirata” Fuente can be a tough place to play with the humidity in the area, but the home-field advantage may not be enough to keep on relying on it throughout the season.
Prediction
The Xolos should be able to win this game, even if it will be away from home. Veracruz has proven to be one of the weakest teams in the league and should not be able to handle the firepower Xolos has going forward with players like Fabian Castillo and Miller Bolanos. EVT predicts a 2-0 win for the Aztec Canines in what would be their first win since Week 1 of the tournament.
Francisco, 26, 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 Loyal, San Diego Wave.