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Match Preview: Monterrey vs. Tijuana

Coming back from the international break, Xolos look to resume their winning ways while Rayados look to pick up some momentum.

By Eugene Rupinski

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Xolos players celebrate a goal by Gabriel Hauche against Pumas
Avilés Hurtado, Dayro Moreno, and Gabriel Hauche celebrate Hauche's goal against UNAM Pumas. Xolos defeated Pumas 1-0 at Estadio Caliente.
Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente

Game: Monterrey vs. Tijuana

Date: Saturday, September 10th

Time: 8:00 PM EDT, 5:00 PM PDT, 12:00 AM GMT

Venue: Estadio BBVA Bancomer (Monterrey, Nuevo León)

Television: Univision Deportes (United States), Univision (United States), SKY Planeta Fútbol (México), Gala TV (México), Sky HD (México), TDN (México)

Streaming: fuboTV, Univision Deportes

Tijuana (5-1-1) will take one of its shorter road trips in the Apertura, going a little over 1,100 miles to Monterrey to face Los Rayados. Monterrey (2-3-2) currently sits tenth in the table, however are undefeated at home in Liga MX play this torneo.

Tijuana will look to maintain their good run of form. Dayro Moreno didn’t play for Colombia over the international break, so he’ll look to add to his league-leading seven goals. Paul Arriola scored a goal for the United States against Trinidad and Tobago and has been getting minutes in relief of Moreno, Avilés Hurtado, and Victor Malcorra, so watch for Xolos head coach Miguel El Piojo Herrera to bring him on. American Greg Garza also made the trip with the club, as he was shown at the Monterrey Airport in a photograph on Tijuana’s English-language Facebook page.

Posted by Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente - English on Thursday, 8 September 2016

Garza has only made two appearances with the first team this torneo, however his last was back in July against Puebla.

Los Xolos will face a familiar foe, former manager Antonio Turco Mohamed, who was Xolos’ first coach after being promoted and took Tijuana to their first - and thus far only - Championship in the 2012 Apertura. Former Sueño MLS winner Rogelio Funes Mori is Monterrey’s leading scorer with five goals - three of which came during a dominant performance over León a month ago, although he suffered a knee injury against Pumas three weeks ago and wasn’t in the eighteen the following week against Pachuca. Look for either Dorlan Pabón or the ageless Aldo de Nigris to take Funes Mori’s place if he is unable to play. Monterrey’s offense is the key. The defense, lead by Ecuadoran Walter Ayoví and Efraín Juárez is stable enough, but if Rayados can’t sustain an attacking threat the defense will surely concede.

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