GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Greg Garza’s Club Tijuana extended its unbeaten run to 10 games on Sunday and moved to the top of Liga MX, after winning 1-0 in Estadio Jalisco against Leones Negros.
Garza played left back in a largely defensive performance from Xolos and dealt well with the threat of tricky Ecuadorian winger Jonathan González.
The 23-year-old Texan was starting his seventh consecutive league game for Xolos, for whom Joe Corona came on for his 100th Liga MX appearance on the hour mark. He played an advanced central midfield position.
For home side Leones Negros, 20-year-old Jesus Vazquez got his first Liga MX start and went the full 90 minutes, with Fidel Martínez out suspended.
The Los Angeles native played in a No. 10 role behind striker Juan Anangonó and linked up play with confidence on the ball. Vazquez almost equalized in the 80th minute when he had a right-footed shot saved by Cirilo Saucedo from close range.
The result left the Universidad de Guadalajara side beached at the bottom of Liga MX’s relegation table, with one team set for the drop in May.
Earlier Sunday, six Americans – John Requejo Jr., Raul Rodriguez, Fernando Arce Jr., Alejandro Guido, Paul Arriola and Amando Moreno - featured in the starting XI for Club Tijuana’s Under-20s in its 1-1 tie against the same Guadalajara opposition.
Moreno got Tijuana’s only goal of the game.
Tom Marshall covers Americans based in Mexico for MLSsoccer.com.
