GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Edgar Castillo’s Atlas and Greg Garza’s Club Tijuana will both be looking to put pressure on Liga MX leader Cruz Azul this weekend, in the sixth round of matches in the Clausura 2015.
Xolos host Pumas on Friday evening in Estadio Caliente hoping to extend their seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions (10:30 pm ET, ESPN Deportes, Azteca America).
Coach Daniel Guzmán is unlikely to shake up his successful starting XI up too much, meaning Joe Corona, Alejandro Guido and Paul Arriola are more likely to be on the Tijuana bench.
Like Xolos, Castillo’s Atlas go into the weekend one point behind Cruz Azul and take on struggling Pachuca in Estadio Jalisco on Saturday (10 pm ET, Univision Deportes).
Michael Orozco’s Puebla have very different priorities, desperate for points at home to Monterrey on Saturday in order to not fall further adrift of Chivas in the relegation table (6 pm ET, ESPN Deportes, Azteca America). The gap currently stands at five points with 12 rounds of games before one team is relegated.
Herculez Gomez is also in line for minutes for La Franja, but hasn’t started a Liga MX game so far this Clausura.
It’s another big weekend for young defender Ventura Alvarado, with Club América coach Gustavo Matosas admitting Thursday that he hadn’t made a final decision on whether the in-form Phoenix, Arizona, native will start when Las Aguilas take on Gabriel Farfan’s Chiapas on Saturday in Estadio Azteca (6 pm ET, Univision Deportes).
In Mexico’s second division, Juan Pablo Ocegueda will see action as Alebrijes de Oaxaca host Marco Vidal’s Mineros de Zacatecas (Sat., 6 pm ET), while Stevie Rodriguez’s Dorados de Sinaloa are at home to Correcaminos (Sat., 8 pm ET).
Recent US call-up Julio Morales and Coras play Sonny Guadarrama’s Atlante (Sat., 9 pm ET), with Austin Guerrero’s Altamira hosting Zacatepec (Sun., 6 pm ET).
