THUNDEROUS WIN IN HONDURAS

LA CEIBA, Honduras (Aug. 20, 2013) – Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente keeps adding to its history. The Xoloitzcuintles beat CD Victoria of Honduras 3-2 in a Week 2 Group 7 CONCACAF Champions League match to add to its international résumé on a stormy Tuesday night at Estadio La Ceiba.

The historic win came with goals by Paul Arriola (11th minute), Diego Olsina (40th) and Crisitian Pellerano (69th) for the Xoloitzcuintles. It was the first win for Club Tijuana in the 24-team international tournament featuring clubs from North and Central America and the Caribbean. The Xoloitzcuintles tied with L.A. Firpo of El Salvador in its Champions League debut.

Wilmer Crisanto (54th) and Fredixon Elvir (85th) scored second half goals for Victoria. Crisanto’s score came via a penalty kick.

Club Tijuana (1-0-1) earns three points in the group standings with the win, leading the group with four points. Electrical storms and a power outage delayed the start of the match by almost two hours before both teams made it back on the field for the match. And it was a match that had some lighting of its own. It didn’t take long for a goal to come on the soggy field.

Arriola gave the Xoloitzcuintles a 1-0 lead when he tapped in a headed ball by Emmanuel Cerda inside the six-yard box. Arriola, an 18-year-old San Diego native who played at Mater Dei High in Chula Vista, beat Victoria goalkeeper John Boddy at the goal line for his first goal of the tournament. It was also his second score in his young professional career. Bruno Piceno helped create the scoring play by feeding Cerda a lobbing, crossing pass into the area from left to right. Arriola made his professional debut July 31 in the LIGA MX in a 3-3 tie against Atlas. 

Olsina scored after Cerda fed him with a centered pass to the top of the penalty area. Olsina didn’t hesitate and sent a left-footed shot past a diving Boddy, burying his first Champions League goal in the net and a 2-0 lead. The play came on a fast break by Cerda through the right flank.

Crisanto cut Club Tijuana’s lead 2-1 with a goal via a penalty kick. Crisanto sent his shot just inside Xoloitzcuintles goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo’s right post.

Club Tijuana midfielder Cristian Pellerano sent a blast from outside the penalty box to beat Boddy for a 3-1 lead. Pellerano’s shot came from about 25-yards out and into the lower-left corner of the net.

Victoria moved its lines up field in the second half and scored another goal. This time, it was Elvir scoring for the home team.

Coach Jorge Almiron sent a different starting lineup to the pitch against Victoria, resting some usual starters. The Xoloitzcuintles manager started Saucedo at goal while Javier Gandofli, Aldo Polo, Greg Garza and Oliver Ortiz were his backline. Jose Tahuilan, Piceno and Pellerano were the starting midfielders while Olsina, Cerda and Arriola played up top. Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo and Javier Guemez were second half substitutes.

Club Tijuana will return home to host Santos Laguna Friday Aug. 23 in a Week 7 match of the LIGA-2013 Apertura. It will then resume CONCACAF Champions League play Aug. 28 when it hosts L.A. Firpo of El Salvador in a Week 3 match.