EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE. THANK YOU XOLOITZCUINTLES

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazi –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente came one shot short of advancing in the 2013 Copa Bridgestone Libertadores after playing to a 1-1 tie against host Atletico Mineiro in a quarterfinals second leg match Thursday night at Estadio Independencia.

Atletico Mineiro goalkeeper Victor stopped an injury time penalty kick by Club Tijuana striker Duvier Riascos to preserve the tie and give the Brazilian’s a spot in the South American tournament’s semifinals. Atletico Mineiro advances with a 2-1 away goal advantage.

Riascos took his penalty shot after Atletico Mineiro was whistled for a foul over Xoloitzcuintles defender Pablo Aguilar, also in injury time. Riascos sent his shot down the middle where a diving Victor blocked it with his foot, deflecting the ball into the air.

It was Riascos who gave the Xoloitzcuintles a 1-0 lead when he scored in the 26th minute. Riascos sent a right-footed one-timer off a centered pass by Juan Carlos Nunez on a breakaway. Riascos buried the ball past Victor. The Brazilian’s tied the match in the 41st minute when Rever Humberto sent a ball past Cirilo Saucedo to for the 1-1 score and the aggregate at 3-3. 

A relentless Club Tijuana continued to attack Atletico Mineiro, a team that has not lost at home in more than two years, for most of the match, creating a handful of scoring opportunities. Second half substitute and Tijuana native Bruno Piceno tried a shot after facing Victor one-on-one but the Brazilian blocked his shot in the 70th minute. Striker Fidel Martinez also had a chance to put the ball in an open net but could not reach a corner kick headed to the far post. Arce nearly scored in the 80th minute when his free kick from about 25 yards out hit the cross bar.

Saucedo kept the game tied with a couple of spectacular saves late in the match, including one from point blank that ricocheted off his face. The Xoloitzcuintles continued to attack, sending the ball up field looking for a scoring opportunity. It got one with Riascos’ penalty kick but he couldn’t convert. Team captain and defender Javier Gandolfi thought he had scored of Club Tijuana in the 14th minute but he was whistled offsides when he headed an Arce free kick into the net.

Club Tijuana was the only Mexican team left in the tournament. Thursday’s match was possibly coach Antonio Mohamed’s final game with the Xoloitzcuintles. The Argentine coach had previously said he would leave to coach a team closer to home so he can be with his family.

The Xoloitzcuintles come into the match tied 2-2 in the aggregate with the Brazilians after both teams played to a draw by the same score in Tijuana last week. Riascos and Fidel Martinez scored for coach Antonio Mohamed’s quad in that match up. The Xoloitzcuintles finish the Copa Libertadores with a 5-1-4 record, with its only loss (3-0) coming to Corinthians of Brazil in Sao Paulo on March 13. This was the first time Club Tijuana participated in the Copa Libertadores. Club Tijuana will now look forward to the LIGA MX 2013 Apertura in July and the CONCACAF Champions League in August.