Tijuana Xolos Newcomers Make Debut Against Cruz Azul
Tijuana Xolos faced off against Cruz Azul on Wednesday as newcomers Damian Perez, Yasser Corona and Ignacio Malcorra made their debut at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Soccer News: Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles newcomers Damian Perez, Yasser Corona and Ignacio Malcorra made their debuts Wednesday night against Cruz Azul. And the offseason acquisitions didn’t waste time making an impact on the pitch.
It was Malcorra who helped spark the Club Tijuana path to a 2-1 win against Cruz Azul in the exhibition match at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He set up Aviles Hurtado for the first Club Tijuana goal on a corner kick. Aviles headed in the ball for his first goal as a Xoloitzcuintle.
“I am happy that I scored but mostly because we got the win as a team,” Aviles said. “We always look for the win even if it’s a friendly or a practice. We need to come out and win.”
Juninho scores the second goal for Club Tijuana in a match that also included other new players in the lineup. All of coach Miguel Herrera’s team’s new comers have set foot on the field as Xoloitzcuintles this season. Emmanuel Aguilera, Juan Carlos Medina, Guido Rodriguez, Milton Caraglio, Perez, Hurtado and Corona have all seen minutes this preseason.
Herrera used his new players, mixing them with starters from last season at all of his lines.
Juan Carlos Valenzuela, Juan Carlos Nuñez and Gregory Garza were the defenders along with Perez and Corona, creating an internal competition for starting positions.
They played in front of goalkeeper Federico Vilar, who stood out during the friendly match with a handful of key saves. He stopped a powerful shot in the first half that could have given Cruz Azul a 1-0 lead. Instead, Club Tijuana had the lead at the half.
“We need to work more,” said Vilar, who was the captain against Cruz Azul. “We are not worried, each one of us is doing the role that corresponds to us on and off the field. The goals are clear. The main thing is the team and that is the reason why we work and why we need to give it all of our effort.”
Club Tijuana will continue with its preseason preparations as it heads into its third exhibition match, a July 2 affair against Cimarrones de Sonora FC in Hermosillo.
Source/Photo Credit: Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles
