SUPERLATIVE SOCCER IN TIJUANA

Club Tijuana 2-1 Rayados de Monterrey; LIGA Bancomer MX-2104 Clausura



TIJUANA –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente got second half by Dario Benedetto and Crisitan Pellerano for a come-from-behind 2-1 win against visiting Rayados de Monterrey Friday night at Estadio Caliente.

Benedetto scored in the 75th minute to tie the match 1-1 while Pellerano sent in the game winner in the 86th minute to seal the win in the Week 6 match of the LIGA Bancomer MX-2104 Clausura.

Cesar Delgado opened up the scoring in the 65th minute.

Club Tijuana (3-2-1, 10 points) remains undefeated at home this season with wins against Club America, Monarcas Morelia and Monterrey (1-2-3, 6 points).

Benedetto, who came on as a substitute in the 60th minute, sparked a Club Tijuana rally after both teams spent the first half looking to find a rhythym and break the scoreless tie heading into halftime.

It was after Xoloitzcuintles coach Cesar Farias made some adjustments and used his substitutions that Club Tijuana began to play a fluid brand of soccer. Farias’team created more open spaces at midfield where through balls were distributed from upfield to create scoring chances.

“We won a beautiful game. We had what it takes to come back and get the win against  agreat team,”Farias said. It was clear that we generated chances and that we were able to be agressive. We didn’t panic after that first goal they scored. I was sure that tonight we deserved to win.”

Benedetto’s goal came via a header when the Argentine forward charged the goal near the left post, getting a head on an Elio Castro headed pass. Benedeto didn’t hesitate to burry the ball into the back of the net. Fernando Arce set up the scoring play with a Fernando Arce free kick.

The Xoloitzcuintles continued to pressure Monterrey’s defense catching the Rayados off guard when Bendetto send a high cross into the area where he found an open Juan Hernandez at the six-yard box line. Hernandez sent the ball back from left to right to find Pellerno dashing towards net before sending it in with his head and out of the reach of
Monterrey goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco.

Farias used Cirilo Saucedo at goalkeeper while Javier Gandolfi, Edgar Castillo, Juan Carlos Nunez and Castro were the starting defenders. Javier Guemez, Richard Ruiz, Arce and Pellerano were the midfielders. Fidel Martinez and Herculez Gomez started at forward.  Joe Corona, Benedetto and Hernandez were the second half substitutes.

Club Tijuana will now travel to Torreon to visit Santos Laguna in a Week 7 match Friday Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific).