GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Bolstered by their CONCACAF Champions League elimination of the LA Galaxy, Club Tijuana are back on a roll in Liga MX play, too, and are back in the playoff conversation.
Edgar Castillo burst down the left wing, cut inside and passed for Fidel Martínez to sweep in for the Xolos' second goal in the 67th minute in their 3-1 win over Puebla at Estadio Caliente on Friday.
Left back Castillo was the only American to go the full 90 minutes for Tijuana, with Greg Garza and Joe Corona left on the bench. Striker Herculez Gomez came on for the last 15 minutes.
Both DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Orozco completed the game for Puebla.
Beasley assisted Puebla’s only goal, sliding a low pass from inside the area into the path of Brazilian Maicon Santos, who finished in the 84th to bring Puebla back into the game. Orozco played on the left side of Rubén Omar Romano’s three center backs, with Beasley the left wing back.
The result moves Club Tijuana back into playoff positioning, while Puebla could end the 12th round of matches in last place in the Liga MX’s Clausura 2014, depending on other results.
In Mexico’s second division, Ventura Alvarado went 90 minutes and Sonny Guadarrama 80 as Nexaca failed to move into first place in the Ascenso MX after drawing Correcaminos 1-1 at home.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
