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Liga MX: Can Club Tijuana make La Liguilla?

By Tom Freeman-Eves

TIJUANA, MEXICO - SEPTEMBER 22: Players of Tijuana leave the field after the 10th round match between Tijuana and Pachuca as part of the Torneo Apertura 2018 Liga MX at Caliente Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Tijuana, Mexico. (Photo by Gonzalo Gonzalez/Jam Media/Getty Images)
TIJUANA, MEXICO - SEPTEMBER 22: Players of Tijuana leave the field after the 10th round match between Tijuana and Pachuca as part of the Torneo Apertura 2018 Liga MX at Caliente Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Tijuana, Mexico. (Photo by Gonzalo Gonzalez/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
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Xolos have been on a mini-tear lately, winning their last three Liga MX matches.

Since the somewhat surprising loss to Veracruz on match day seven, Club Tijuana have now gone three wins from three after their latest 1 – 0 at home to Pachuca. This incredible turnaround for Xolos now sees them sitting 9th in the table, just one place outside of La Liguilla, and level on points with 7th place Tigres.

Winning these games has been crucial for Xolos and the three points each week really are the most important factor. However, the concern is that this run of form may only be temporary and it’s telling that they’ve only managed three goals in those three games. This leaves them with a goal difference of -1; six goals adrift of Tigres’ +5.

As a fan of Xolos and a cautious optimist, I’m trying not to get too carried away with the current league position, especially considering my criticisms of Xolos’ defending in recent weeks.  However, their next two games come against direct rivals in the top eight who I believe to be beatable. This gives Xolos the opportunity to chip away at those goal differences and steal a few points.

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First up, Xolos will visit a Monterrey side who’ve not won since match day six, when they played Lobos BUAP. If they can manage a win this week, even a 1 – 0 win, they’ll leapfrog Monterrey not only in points but on goal difference as well. The added bonus comes with the fact that Tigres are playing 8th place Querétaro this weekend and a positive result in either direction could further strengthen Xolos’ claim on a top eight finish.

Follow this up with a home game against Querétaro next weekend and, if Xolos can secure a further three points, they have a real foothold in La Liguilla. The twist comes as the following two match days will include a trip to the Azteca and a visit from Pumas UNAM in Tijuana, two much more complicated fixtures for Xolos. However, if they can put a sufficient buffer in place over the next couple of games, they should be guarded against the drop.

All of this just goes to show how quickly a season can turn around in Mexican football and why Liga MX might just be the most unpredictable league in the world. Of course, now I’ve said all of this, Xolos are sure to go on a seven-game losing streak and these last three weeks will just be a distant fond memory come the end of the season!

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