It was a close match at the Estadio Caliente in Tijuana, but Xolos narrowly lost to Rayos de Necaxa, two goals to one in favor of Necaxa.
Rayos started the second half with a goal from left winger Pavel Pardo, who broke on a counter and decisively put away Necaxa’s first goal of the night in the 52nd minute. The Tijuana side rallied in response to conceding a goal by winning a penalty kick the 56th minute. Xolos forward Raul Zuniga made easy work of the penalty and the two teams were tied once again. Jose Paradela went on to score the winner for Necaxa in the 58th minute. It was a competitive match that held much significance for both teams, but in very different ways.
Necaxa continue their good run of form, winning their last three matches in a row. Head coach Nicolas Larcamon has brought excitement back to this outfit from Aguascalientes, as they currently sit fourth in the Liga MX Clausura, tied with Toluca and Leon on points. Larcamon has come into this team and turned a Necaxa side that finished 13th in the league last year into this year’s dark horse to win it all. The Argentine coach has made Necaxa competitive with an aggressive pressing style that exploits opponents in moments of transition and has found much success this tournament, winning nine games out of fourteen. Rayos will look to finish out the regular season in strong form in preparation for a deep run in the Liguilla, where they will be looking to upset some of the other historically richer clubs.
This latest Xolos loss mathematically eliminates them from the possibility of playoff qualification. Tijuana sits in sixteenth place in the Liga MX table, with only ten points. They are currently led by interim coach Cirilo Saucedo, who stepped into the position temporarily after the abrupt dismissal of previous head coach, Juan Carlos Osorio. While capable of playing attractive football at times Xolos defense has been unable to stop the onslaught of goals. The team has allowed 34 goals in fourteen matches, the highest throughout the league. Xolos will look to solidify a foundation in the remaining games of the tournament so that they have something to build on for next season. Whoever Xolos names as their next head coach, it will be imperative for the team to strengthen the defensive side during the transfer market window this summer, as they have the league’s worst defense.
Standout Performances
Necaxa’s Standout Players: Pavel Perez, the 26-year-old Mexican winger scored Necaxa’s first goal of the night, and looked dangerous in his time on the pitch. Jose Paradela also had a great night; the winger would go on to score in the 58th minute.
Xolos’s Standout players: Raul Zuniga, the Colombian striker was dangerous throughout the match, and scored his team’s only goal from the penalty spot in the 56th minute. Sixteen-year-old wonder kid Gil Mora also had a good showing, providing an attacking spark for the team during his time on the pitch.
Conclusion
With this win, Necaxa is continuing their march into Liguilla in the best form. Meanwhile, Xolos is left to sift through the rubble that is their season, searching for something worth saving so that they can build for tomorrow.
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