Match recap: Club Tijuana 1, Pachuca 0

As unlikely as it sounds, Club Tijuana has won three straight games. The Aztec Canines picked up their latest three points against Pachuca thanks to a goal from Erick “El Cubo” Torres.

It wasn’t all an easy run for the hosts however. Pachuca’s Angelo Sagal nearly hit a fluky goal before the two minute mark when he hit a cross toward an onrushing Franco Jara. The ball missed the mark and rolled past the Xolos defense and goalkeeper Gibran Lajud, hit the outside of the post, and rolled out.I

In the 16th minute, there was controversy as Xolos hit a corner kick into the box. A Pachuca defender tried to clear the ball but hit it off of the underside of the bar and out. There was a moment of chaos where no one was sure if it was a goal or not, however it looked like referee Oscar Macías made the right call in not calling it a goal.

With Juan Martín Lucero out as a late scratch with an undisclosed injury, Cubo Torres was pressed into service. Given a golden opportunity to impress, Cubo was unable to get much of anything going in the first half largely thanks to a series of poor touches.

In the 25th minute, Gustavo Canto put a header on frame but it was swept off of the line by a fantastic diving Alfonso Blanco save.

In the 31st minute, Fabián Castillo made a great play on the left side to slot the ball back to Miller Bolaños, who took a shot. Bolaños’ shot was blocked, and it went to Ignacio Rivero, who shot the ball just wide of the net.

At the beginning of the second half however, the fortunes would change. Ignacio Rivero hit a cross from the right side and getting a slight touch on the ball to poke it past Blanco was none other than Cubo Torres. The much maligned striker would silence the critics with his first goal in the red and black of Tijuana.

In the 54th minute, Franco Jara would step on Ignacio Rivero as Rivero attempted a sliding tackle. Jara would see a straight red card, not protesting the decision very much as he walked off the field.

While Xolos were up a man, Pachuca was still able to get some pressure going forward periodically. Still, Tijuana was able to counterattack with some regularity and keep Tuzos honest. In stoppage time, Pachuca’s Jaime Barreiro would pick up his second yellow of the evening and Los Tuzos would be down to nine men at the end of the match.

Tijuana will host Cruz Azul in Copa MX play on Tuesday before heading east to Monterrey to face Rayados on Saturday. Pachuca will host Cafetaleros de Tapachula in Copa MX on Tuesday and Cruz Azul in Liga MX play on Saturday.

Club Tijuana: Gibran Lajud; Luis Duentes, Julián Velázquez, Jorge Canto, Omar Mendoza; Fabián Castillo (Jesús Angulo, 71’), Diego González, Diego Rodríguez (Alejandro Guido, 76’), Ignacio Rivero; Miller Bolaños (Rubio Rubín, 89’), Erick Torres

Pachuca: Alfonso Blanco; Emmanuel García, Alexis Peña, Jaine Barreiro, Joaquin Martínez (Erick Aguirre, 64’); Pablo López (Francisco Figueroa, 76’), Jorge Hernández, Víctor Guzmán; Sebastián Palacios (Leonardo Ulloa, 64’), Franco Jara, Ángelo Sagal

Scoring: Club Tijuana - Erick Torres (46’); Pachuca - None

Disciplinary: Club Tijuana - Diego Rodríguez (Yellow - 23’) Ignacio Rivero (Yellow - 40’), Miller Bolaños (Yellow - 50’), Erick Torres (Yellow - 85’); Pachuca - Jaime Barreiro (Yellow - 28’, Second Yellow - 90+1’), Franco Jara (Red - 53’)