Match preview: Toluca vs. Tijuana

Game: Deportivo Toluca Fútbol Club S.A. de C.V. vs. Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente

Date: Sunday, November 19th

Time: 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 12:00 p.m. Central, 10:00 a.m. Pacific, 6:00 p.m. UTC

Venue: Estadio Nemesio Díez (Toluca, Edomex.)

Television: United States - Univision, Univision Deportes; Mexico - Univision TDN, Televisa Deportes

Streaming: fuboTV (Free trial + monthly subscription), Sling (Free trial + monthly subscription), Univision NOW, Fanatiz

What started out as a season full of promise for Tijuana (6W 3D 7L) will most likely end with a whimper, as Xolos head to Edomex to face Toluca (7W 5D 4L). While mathematically still in contention for a Liguilla spot as of this writing, Xolos need to win and have Necaxa (6W 6D 4L) and Cruz Azul (6W 6D 4L) lose. Tijuana won their last Liga MX match against rival León (8W 2D 6L) but were blown out 4-0 by Pachuca in Copa MX play days later.

Interim manager Diego Torres will have his hands full against Toluca, as Los Diablos Rojos can punch their Liguilla ticket with a win. The tandem of Fernando Uribe and Alexis Canelo have combined for 11 of Toluca’s 21 goals on the season, and it will be interesting to see if Torres sticks with the 4-4-2 he’s been using or reverts to Xolos’ more familiar 5-3-2 to counter the threat.

Xolos haven’t been able to get consistent production from anyone this season. Gustavo Bou only has six goals on the season, and the partnership with the revolving cast of forwards never fully developed. Miller Bolaños has shown he can be a solid option but the chemistry between the two hasn’t always clicked, and Juan Iturbe has been largely ineffectual on the right wing. It will be interesting to compare the lineup on Sunday against the lineup in Week 1 of the Clausura.