GUADALAJARA, Mexico – There’s a mouthwatering platter of matches on the menu this weekend for Americans in Latin America with US internationals facing each other in two games.
Kicking it off is action just south of the border for a Friday night game between Club Tijuana and Club América at the Estadio Caliente (9:10 pm ET, Azteca America).
It’s an important game for in-form Edgar Castillo, who was loaned to the Xolos from the Águilas over the winter. Castillo told local press in Tijuana this week that the game would be the same as any other and won’t be special, but he’d surely love to put in a performance against the club at which he endured a difficult time last season with little playing time.
Joe Corona is in the frame to start alongside Castillo, but faces competition from Brazilian Leandro Augusto, who may be fit to face América after a number of weeks out. Greg Garza will also be hoping for minutes for Tijuana after coming on as a sub last week.
DaMarcus Beasley’s Puebla really need three points and will be looking to take advantage of Santos Laguna’s long trip to Seattle this week when the teams meet on Saturday (8 pm, TeleFutura).
Puebla coach Juan Carlos Osorio revealed Beasley was left out of the starting lineup last weekend due to “indiscipline” – the club hasn’t expanded on that comment, but he should be on the field from the first whistle against Santos.
Herculez Gomez has three goals in his last three games for Santos and is also likely to start, although it could well be on the right wing again.
US fans will be glad to see José Torres back on the field after two weeks out with a groin strain, as his Pachuca team travels to San Luis, where Michael Orozco Fiscal is hoping for game time (Saturday, 9:45 pm, Galavision).
Elsewhere in Mexico, Sonny Guadarrama’s Atlante host Atlas (Saturday, 10 pm. TeleFutura), while Jonathan Bornstein’s Tigres UANL travel to Jaguares (Saturday, 6 pm, ESPN Deportes, Azteca America).
In Mexico’s second division, Marco Vidal’s León play Veracruz (Saturday, 9 pm), Isaac Acuña’s Club Mérida face Celeya (Saturday, 9:45 pm) and Jesús Padilla’s La Piedad go up against Necaxa (Sunday, 1:30 pm).
Further south, Jimmy Maurer’s Universidad de Concepción host Cobreloa (Saturday, 2 pm ET) in Chile’s top division, while Jeff Cunningham and Communicaciones play Zacapa (Sunday, noon ET).
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America. He can be reached at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
