The Tijuana Xolos played their 13th game in the Liga MX 2023 Apertura season against Monterrey at the Estadio BBVA this Wednesday, October 25. Club Tijuana was heading into the match with no away wins on the season, and that stayed consistent, as the Xoloitzcuintles lost the game in Monterrey 3-1.

Miguel Herrera was forced to change his starting 11, given that Christian Rivera had received a red card in Tijuana’s last game against Queretaro. Herrera added striker Lucas Cavallini and defender Rodrigo Godinez to the lineup with the absence of Rivera and Lucas Rodriguez heading to the bench. “Piojo” himself was not on the sidelines due to receiving a red card of his own against Queretaro, as the Mexican manager watched the game from the stands.

Herrera’s initial game plan of trying to strike on counter attacks and sitting back was not working out, and he decided to take out Rodrigo Godinez and sub on Ivan Tona in the 39th minute. By this time, Club Tijuana was already down 2-0 at the Estadio BBVA, with goals by Rogelio Funes Mori and Jesus Gallardo for the home team.

The first goal of the match came in the 29th minute when Maxi Meza gave a precise pass to Rogelio Funes Mori, who sent the ball to the back of the net. Marking was quite poor on the play, and Fernando Madrigal lost a key duel to Meza in the midfield, which facilitated the assist on goal.

The second goal for Los Rayados came just a few minutes after the first when Jesus Gallardo scored on an individual play on the left flank. Gallardo was given far too much space on the scoring play, which allowed him to come away with the clinical finish without many complications.

The first half ended 2-0 in Monterrey’s favor, and with the way Tijuana’s away games usually go, it seemed like it was all but over after the initial 45 minutes. Rayados put the game to bed in the 60th minute with a goal by academy player Victor Lopez, who scored via a header off a cross by Maxi Meza. Down 3-0, all hope was lost for the border city team, up against a very formidable Monterrey team.

Xolos’ lone goal of the match came in aggregate time, as Carlos Gonzalez scored off a perfectly executed corner kick by Efrain Alvarez. This was Gonzalez’s ninth goal of the campaign, which ties him for the joint-most in the Liga MX with Santos Laguna’s Harold Preciado.

The Border City Dogs really struggled to muster up most offensive play in this game, and Monterrey goalkeeper Estaban Andrada inclusively had a terrific game in net. Club Tijuana will now return home to where they have been stellar, with consecutive games against Atlas on October 29 and against Tigres on November 1.

Francisco Velasco

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.