GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Michael Orozco Fiscal will not be involved in Puebla’s home clash against Club América on Sunday (1 pm ET, ESPN Deportes, Azteca America), with the injury picked up last weekend against Atlas set to keep the US international out for two weeks, the club confirmed to MLSsoccer.com on Thursday.
The extent and nature of the injury was not revealed by the club, but the fact that Orozco Fiscal (above) should be available if called on by Jurgen Klinsmann for the USMNT's pre-World Cup camp next month will be welcome relief for the center back.
DaMarcus Beasley, on the other hand, is set to appear for Rubén Omar Romano’s side, with a victory almost guaranteeing Puebla their place in the Liga MX next season, considering Atlante are currently six points behind in the relegation table with only three rounds of games remaining.
On Saturday, Club Tijuana will be looking to bounce back from their 2-0 loss midweek to Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions League – and their failure to reach the final – against Jose Torres’ Tigres UANL side in Monterrey (8 pm ET, Univision Deportes).
Herculez Gomez is a doubt after he didn’t travel to Mexico City for the CCL tie, while Edgar Castillo, Paul Arriola, Greg Garza and Joe Corona are all available for Xolos, who would consolidate their place in the playoff zone with their first road win in more than a year.
Also Saturday, Gabriel Farfan and Chiapas entertain Monterrey at home in need of a win if they are to keep their distant playoff hopes alive (10 pm ET, Univision Deportes).
In the last game of the weekend, Jonathan Bornstein’s Atlante could be condemned to relegation if Puebla pick up a draw or win and Los Potros fail to at least match it (Sunday, 8 pm ET, Univision Deportes).
In Mexico’s second division, Marco Vidal’s Lobos BUAP are in sixth place and travel to face Dorados de Sinaloa, who currently sit one place outside the playoffs in eighth.
Necaxa duo Sonny Guadarrama and Ventura Alvarado have been regulars this season and could secure a spot in the postseason with a win on Saturday at Copa MX runners-up Alebrijes de Oaxaca.
Cruz Azul’s Michael Farfan has been featuring in recent weeks for the club’s U-20 side, while Cruz Azul Hidalgo’s Jose Villarreal haven't played since Feb. 9, when he dressed for La Máquina’s U-20s.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
