CLUB TIJUANA WINS 3-0 VS. PUMAS
Xolos Return to Practice – Venezuelan midfielder Juan Arango spoke about team’s humility and strength
Club Tijuana was back to work just a few hours after beating Pumas UNAM 3-0 last Friday night at Estadio Caliente. The Xoloitzcuintles began to prepare to face Coras de Tepic in Copa MX action.
There were plenty of smiles, jokes and encouraging comments from teammates during Saturday’s practice. One of those players smiling was Juan Arango, the Venezuelan midfielder who netted two goals against Pumas. One of his scores was a brilliant bending free kick and the other a penalty kick. His goals and Alfredo Moreno’s score Friday helped extend Club Tijuana’s unbeaten streak to five matches and a 4-4-1 record with 10 points in the standings. That is enough for second place in the table, heading into this weekend’s games.
“First of all, the result (last night) was very important so that we can keep reaching for our goals,” Arango said. “We knew it was going to be a difficult game but we were able to do what we prepared for. Pumas is a team that came out looking to score. It was a bit tough at first to get that initial goal but the team was persistent and it kept its will to keep trying to get the positive result.”
Arango is one of the more experienced players on the team at age 34. He’s been on teams throughout the planet. He said he sees a quality group in these Xoloitzcuintles. He said this is a team that has the potential to reach all of its goals and has the right base. Arango insists that the team must remain on the same path to reach the playoffs.
“We have a solid and unified team,” Arango said. “The team has been consistent when it comes to having to score goals. I think that if we keep this up we are made for great things. Little-by-little, step-by-step, with humility, we will keep working in the same manner. We need to accept this opportunity and the position we are in, thanks to hard work and sacrifice. We have to have that same humility and the will to do things right.”
Club Tijuana went through a light practice Saturday under the supervision of fitness coach Alan Alarcon. The Xoloitzcuintles will train again Sunday. It will be the final practice for the group traveling to face Coras de Tepic Tuesday night in Copa MX action.
Want to know what Club Tijuana’s coach Daniel Guzman and his player say about match vs. Pumas?
Juan Arango says:
“Despite the fact that Dayro (Moreno) wasn’t available, this group stayed united and compact and we took an important result that lets us keep fighting for what we want.”
On his PK:
“There had been already two games against Chiapas and Morelia where the goalkeeper was trying to guess so that was my opening and I think I surprised the goalkeeper.”
On being underdogs:
“For many people the results might be surprising but for us the results are based on the hard work which we have done throughout the preseason. We sacrificed a lot in December and now we have to keep working hard.”
On scoring twice:
“I think it has been a long time since I scored two goals in a game but the most important thing is that the team took an important result. We knew that Pumas were out looking for a result and the made things hard, they pressured us until the first goal came. I think that Pumas didn’t deserve those three goals, but this isn’t about deserving, we more clinical, we were more intelligent and it is an important result that lets us keep on fighting for what we want.”
Daniel Guzman says:
On Pumas coming out looking to score early:
“We were lucky during the first few minutes. We knew they were very dangerous, that they had a very vertical attack. They missed one that was fundamental, a great save by Cirilo (Saucedo). And then right after we were clinical in our attack. It was an individual play by Gabriel Hauche that (Alfredo) “Chango” Moreno finishes off. I think that after that goal we took control of all plays and then the ‘goalazo’ by Juan Arango comes. We took the 2-0 lead to halftime, that kills any team.”
About his teams work ethic against every team:
“We talked about it before the match, regardless of who is there or who isn’t the way this team was build was based on sacrifice, based on the fact that nothing has been given to us, that we have always gone against the predictions, and the boys have understood that very well. They played very serious and and we defeated – who in my opinion – has been the most complicated team we have faced so far. With all due respect to the other teams we have faced, but Pumas was a very serious rival.”
On Dayro Moreno missing the match and Alfredo Moreno stepping in:
“Unfortunately Dayro (Moreno) was not able to participate. No one here is indispensable, everyone is important, everyone is coming up asking for a chance to prove themselves. (Alfredo) ‘Chango’ (Moreno) was the indicated one to replace Dayro (Moreno). I think he did it well considering he is coming back from an injury and that he is not in the best rhythm like the rest of his teammates. But without a doubt I feel happy to watch them work so seriously inside of the football field and without a doubt I think that strategically we won this game with justice. We modified in the second half because of the lack of rhythm of some of the players but without a doubt the ones who played came in very motivated, playing the same gameplan, the same idea and most importantly we once again defeat a strong team in our home and that will help us in the future.”
About his team being an offensive one but remaining humble:
“We are an offensive team because we have the humility to know that when we don’t have the ball everyone needs to sacrifice themselves in order to recuperate the ball as soon as possible and in the rival’s side of the field. Also, a big difference has been that we have taken our chances, the offense has great harmony. Ricardo de Jesus, Gabriel Hauche ‘Chango’ (Alfredo Moreno), Dayro Moreno, and having a link like Juan Arango; I think they have connected very well offensively. But we couldn’t score goals if we didn’t have a good defense. I praise them for standing tall against all of the names I just mentioned in the attack. The likes of Greg Garza, the likes of (Jesus) Chavez, the likes of (Javier) Gandolfi, the likes of (Juan Carlos) Nuñez, the likes of (Javier) Güemez they all stood tall against the attackers. At times we played with four and the rest would take advantage to go up the field and attack.”
On how he will try and keep his team focused and on the same path:
“What most worries me is the mental aspect. We won a game but the reality is that we haven’t achieved anything. The objective is still far away which is to qualify to the playoffs. We are on the right track. All that I have asked of them is for them to forget about the past, it happen already and it doesn’t exist. What we have ahead of us is a very complicated game next Sunday against Leones Negros UdG in which we will try to add some points because that objective that we so desire is to qualify. So I ask them to empty their minds, if there are praises, if there aren’t praises (doesn’t matter). We need to get to work starting tomorrow at 9am. We will be working and thinking on how are we going to beat Leones Negros, that is what most interest me more than what has been accomplished so far.”
Ricardo Da Silva says:
On winning at home:
“It is always important to demonstrate the strength we have at home and to keep on winning.”
On team unity:
“Yes, we are all very united. We did miss Dayro (Moreno) but thank god that we go the win today.”
About team’s performance:
“Very good, very happy because it is the showings of the work that we are putting in during the week and we are showing it on the field.”
Perception on team functionality:
“I think that the offense has been very clinical but the defense has helped a lot. If we score goals but we allow goals then we don’t win, they are defending very well. We are all very concentrated and united in this.”
On keeping an unbeaten streak:
“We need to think game by game. We can’t think about the playoffs (yet) because a lot of things can happen. We need to be calm and take things step by step but alway looking to go forward.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Club Tijuana
