In the past, Tecos has been the other, other club in Guadalajara. The university-based side typically has found itself toward the bottom of the Mexican league tables looking up at other clubs.
Based in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, Tecos is far from the limelight that envelops both Chivas and Atlas.
Now, however, Tecos has a chance that neither Chivas nor Atlas has. Tecos is one of eight clubs that will vie for the InterLiga title and a shot at a berth in the 2007 Copa Libertadores.
Tecos reached the tournament in part because of their magical Clausura 2005 campaign. After four seasons without reaching the playoffs, Tecos finally managed to reach the Mexican liguilla in the Clausura 2005 season. Tecos finished fourth in the overall table with 29 points and knocked off Necaxa in the quarterfinals. Then, Tecos took out Morelia, who had the most points in the league that year with 35. But in the final, Tecos crashed out after a 6-3 thumping at Estadio Azteca to Club America.
The following season, Tecos finished with 24 points and again reached the playoffs, thus securing their InterLiga fate.
Tecos, though, will enter the tournament on a whimper. Though Tecos had 22 points and finished one point out of a potential playoff spot, only four clubs scored fewer goals than Tecos. Tecos had the worst goal-differential in the league as their defense was the league's worst.
When the team lines up for InterLiga, however, Tecos will have a far different look than it has in the past. The club recently acquired longtime Santos standout Rodrigo "Pony" Ruiz. For the last 13 season, Ruiz has been one of the best playmakers in all of Mexico. He helped Jared Borgetti and Matias Vuoso become top scorers. Ruiz, who was InterLiga champion in 2004, had been a mainstay in Santos and is generally considered one of the best attacking players in the Mexican league.
Ruiz will pair with Daniel Luduena in Tecos midfield. Luduena has been a standout with Tecos since joining from River Plate. Luduena has scored 30 goals in four seasons.
In goal, Tecos has one of the finest Mexican goalkeepers. Jose de Jesus Corona has manned Tecos' goal since the Apertura 2004 season after joining from rival Atlas. Corona has been unable to dethrone Oswaldo Sanchez on the Mexican national team but has still been a key part of the Mexican national team squad. Corona was a reserve goalkeeper on Mexico's 2006 World Cup squad.
The pieces of the puzzle for Tecos' turnaround are there. Luduena and Ruiz give Tecos one of the strongest midfield pairings in all of Mexico. With the proven Corona in goal, Tecos needs to solidify its defense.
A successful InterLiga 2007 campaign could finally be the turning point for a franchise that has not known success.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to InterLiga.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the league or its clubs.
