Match recap: Club Tijuana 1, Querétaro FC 1

A week with controversy in Liga MX continued in Tijuana as a Los Xoloitzcuintles drew Querétaro FC 1-1 thanks in part to a disputed penalty that benefit the visitors.

Neither team was able to gain dominance in possession early, with the ball spending most of the first 10 minutes bouncing around the midfield. Querétaro may have had the slight edge early on, able to put a couple of balls in toward the Xolos goal.

As the game opened up, Xolos were able to grab the momentum. In the 13th minute, the home side would get on the board when Miller Bolaños drove in to goalkeeper Thiago Volpi’s right drawing the defense. Bolaños would center the ball to an onrushing Fabián Castillo, who would put it past Volpi with a diving header.

Xolos would remain on the front foot after the goal, although over time Querétaro would gain possession and hold it for a spell in the Xolos end. While Querétaro would pad their possession stats, they would not be able to get a solid look at goal.

Tijuana on the other hand would get a couple of good runs at goal, however the final shot never seemed to come off cleanly. Bolaños and Castillo both had opportunities to add to the lead but couldn’t put it all together again in the first half.

In the early part of the second half it was more of the same for both teams. Querétaro got Marcel Ruiz and substitute Edson Puch involved in the attack and Xolos were able to get Erick “Cubo” Torres involved into the play, but neither team really threatened much.

There was controversy in the 60th minute as Querétaro shot the ball and Gustavo Canto got in front of it. The ball looked to hit off of Canto’s ribs and glancing off of his elbow as he turned away from the shot.

The referee awarded the penalty despite Canto’s protests, lifting his shirt to show the mark on his torso where the ball struck him. Camilo Sanvezzo would hit a rocket past Gibran Lajud to tie the match.

This would ratchet up the tempo of the match, as both teams would race down the pitch as soon as possession was gained. Xolos had the better quality chances, as Volpi had to make some spectacular saves to keep the sides level.

In the end though, neither team could find the go ahead goal. Rafael Puente’s men pressed forward but couldn’t break through the Xolos defense, while Diego Cocca’s men couldn’t solve Thiago Volpi twice.

While Liga MX will not have any games next week due to the international break, both teams will be active. Tijuana will host Diego Maradona and Dorados in a friendly on October 12th before heading to Mexico City to face Club América on October . Querétaro on the other hand will head to Monterrey to face Rayados on Tuesday, October 9 in Copa MX play before hosting Cruz Azul on October 20th.

Club Tijuana: Gibran Lajud; Luis Fuentes, Gustavo Canto, Julián Velázquez, Luis Martínez; Fabián Castillo (Luis Chávez, 70’), Diego González (Eryc Castillo, 79’), Diego Rodríguez, Ignacio Rivero; Erick Torres (Juan Martín Lucero, 75’), Miller Bolaños

Querétaro FC: Thiago Volpi; Alexis Pérez, Luís Romo, Hiram Mier, George Corral; Marcel Ruiz (Erbín Trejo, 81’), Javier Güémez, Jaime Gómez; Daniel Villalva (Carlos Acosta, 88’), Camilo Sanvezzo, Jonathan Suárez (Edson Puch, 46’)

Scoring: Club Tijuana - Fabián Castillo (13’); Querétaro FC - Camilo Sanvezzo (62’ - penalty)

Disciplinary: Club Tijuana - Gustavo Canto (Yellow - 60’); Querétaro FC - Alexis Pérez (Yellow - 31’), Edson Puch (Yellow - 58’), Camilo Sanvezzo (Yellow - 83’)