Tijuana Xolos lose 10th game of season, 2-1 vs. Necaxa
Credit: Jeremy Collins(XoloGuero)/EVT Sports
The Tijuana Xolos hosted Necaxa at the Estadio Caliente for a game in the Liga MX 2025 Clausura this Friday, April 4.
Club Tijuana was coming off a huge 2-1 away win against Monterrey with interim manager Cirilo Saucedo at the helm.
With playoffs basically impossible at this point of the season for Xolos, there was really only pride and personal gain on the line. Cirillo Saucedo only made one change to the starting 11 that was used against Monterrey and decided to go with San Diego native Joe Corona in place of Ivan Tona.
Necaxa was missing its key goalscorer Diber Cambindo with an injury. While Jose Paradela was able to generate plenty of offensive play for the visitors, that lethal striker was clearly missing for Los Rayos.
The first half was a contested affair with no clear winner in sight. Both teams had a few scoring opportunities but not much to show for it in what was a hard-fought clash.
Sixteen-year-old Gilberto Mora Jr. really seemed to be one of the most involved players for the Xoloitzcuintles in the final third. Necaxa goalkeeper Ezequiel Unsain was tested a couple of times in the first half, but it was not their most entertaining match at the Mictlan.
The second half was far more exciting with all of the goals in the night, coming in the closing 45 minutes of play. Pavel Perez opened the scoring at the Estadio Caliente with a goal from a powerful shot outside of the box.
The Xoloitzcuintles were then awarded a penalty, and Raul Zuniga was able to tie the match in the 56th minute. While that goal evened the score, Club Tijuana never seemed to be the dominant team in the second half.
Necaxa were able to regain the lead in the 58th minute with another goal from a hot from range, but this time from Jose Paradela. The Argentine playmaker was given far too much space to launch his powerful strike and that ended up being the decisive goal.
Cirilo Saucedo tried to generate a spark in the offense by bringing on Domingo Blanco for Joe Corona in the 66th minute. However, the Border City Dogs never really were able to get back into the match.
Raul Zuñiga ties it up for #Xolos from the penalty spot against Necaxa. 1-1 at the Estadio Caliente.@EVT_News pic.twitter.com/OTU9hxQmB6
— Francisco Velasco (@FranciscoEfV) April 5, 2025
A penalty was awarded to Club Tijuana after a foul on Raul Zuniga inside of the box. However, VAR ruled that the Necaxa defender, Alejandro Mayorga, made clean contact with the ball on the play.
Saucedo launched a final attempt by making four substitutions in the 80th minute. Ramiro Arciga, Alan Vega, Shamar Nicholson and Jhojan Julio came on for Alejandro Gomez, Gilberto Mora Jr., Efrain Alvarez and Kevin Castaneda.
The Aztec Canines were far more productive in the first half than in the second half, and Necaxa came away with the three points. This marked Tijuana’s 10th defeat in 14 games this season, in what has been a dismal year for the border city team.
In the post-game press conference, Necaxa manager Nicolas Larcamon did mention how this is a tough stadium to get a win in. However, Xolos have only won two out of seven home games this season, which is a huge decline from last season.
Club Tijuana will play its last home game of the season next Thursday, April 10, against Atletico San Luis. The Border City Dogs will then close out the 2025 Clausura season with away games against Mazatlan FC and Santos Laguna.
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.