Tijuana Xolos Liga MX 2019 CL Week 4 Preview: Club Tijuana Visit 2018 Apertura Runners-Up
Credit: Mexsport
Game: Cruz Azul vs Tijuana Xolos
When: Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019
Where: Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Time: 3:00 P.M. PST
TV: Univision Deportes
The Tijuana Xolos will play their fourth game in the Liga MX 2019 Clausura this Saturday, Jan. 26, when the team visits the historic Estadio Azteca to face Cruz Azul. The Xolos are coming off a 1-0 away win against rivals Leon in Week 3 and will look to ride on that momentum.
The Border City Dogs were able to come away with the three points in Leon thanks to Gustavo Bou and more importantly Gibran Lajud. Bou scored the winning goal while Lajud made several key saves during the encounter that led the Aztec Canines to victory.
The Xolos had some late activity in the transfer market and were able to get Gustavo Bou along with Ariel Nahuelpan to bolster the attack. The Xolos have only scored one goal in three games to begin the season but should be more dangerous offensively with the new additions to the team.
Manager Oscar Pareja was also able to enjoy his first win with the border city side, which was also his first win in his Liga MX career. Pareja now has plenty of options in the attack and it will be interesting to see how he lines up against an opponent like Cruz Azul.
Cruz Azul has one of the strongest and most loyal fan bases in Mexico. La Maquina also currently has one of the strongest squads in the Liga MX and is one of the title favorites after finishing as runners-up last season.
Los Celestes have a plethora of attacking options and a well-balanced team. Perhaps, the strongest component of the team is the defense led by former Xolos’ centre-back Pablo Aguilar.
Cruz Azul is coming off an impressive 1-0 away win against Tigres UANL after a slow start to the season. The Mexico City side only had one point before that win and is now looking to turn things around.
Players to Watch
Gibran Lajud
The Mexican goalkeeper was the hero against Leon and should be tested heavily in this match. Lajud can provide spectacular performances at times, but can also be fairly inconsistent. Lajud will need to come up big against Los Cementeros if Xolos want to avoid defeat.
Elias Hernandez
Hernandez is arguably Cruz Azul’s best player and can also be considered one of the best wingers in the league. The Mexican forward has a tremendous shot on him along with pin-point crossing abilities that make him a threat against anybody.
Prediction
This should be an extremely tough match for Oscar Pareja’s men. Cruz Azul is a very talented team and tends to play very well at the Estadio Azteca. EVT predicts a 2-1 win for Los Celestes in this clash.
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.