GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Herculez Gomez was back in Club Tijuana’s starting XI on Saturday, but Xolos were once again unable to obtain an away victory, with Veracruz equalizing to make it 1-1 in the 81st minute and holding on for the point.
Gomez nodded the ball back to Christian Pellerano, who opened the scoring for Xolos in the sixth minute at Estadio Luis de la Fuente, in round nine of the Liga MX’s Clausura 2014.
Gomez also went close from a header in the 55th against the team managed by his and Chivas USA’s former coach, José Luis “Chelis” Sánchez Solá.
Greg Garza was the other American starter – with Edgar Castillo missing out due to the meet up with the US squad for Wednesday’s game against Ukraine – and was largely solid, until Veracruz’s goal when the former US U-23 international was slack in letting Liber Quiñones in at the back post to score.
Joe Corona came off the bench in the 21st for the injured Fernando Arce in midfield, but couldn’t influence the proceedings as he would’ve wished with Veracruz pressing forward.
Xolos – who face the LA Galaxy in the CONCACAF Champions League later this month – remain outside the playoffs after the result, with 11 points from their nine games, but haven’t won a road game in league play since January 2013.
Tom Marshall covers Americans playing in Latin America for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at tom.marshall.mex@gmail.com.
