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Liga MX: Lobos sharpen teeth ahead of Xolos visit

By Tom Freeman-Eves

MONTERREY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 27: Jose Francisco Rodriguez, Lobos BUAP celebrates after the second goal of his team during a 14th round match between Tigres UANL and Lobos BUAP as part of Torneo Apertura 2018 Liga MX at Universitario Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Monterrey, Mexico. (Photo by Angel Cervantes/Jam Media/Getty Images)
MONTERREY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 27: Jose Francisco Rodriguez, Lobos BUAP celebrates after the second goal of his team during a 14th round match between Tigres UANL and Lobos BUAP as part of Torneo Apertura 2018 Liga MX at Universitario Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Monterrey, Mexico. (Photo by Angel Cervantes/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
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Club Tijuana will travel to Puebla where they’ll face up against Lobos at their Estadio Universitario BUAP in what will be a vital game for both sides.

Lobos, who were lucky to avoid relegation to the Liga de Ascenso last season, will go in to the game full of confidence having secured a 2 – 2 draw away at Tigres last week. Meanwhile, Tijuana are coming back from a round to forget as their Liga MX unbeaten home record went up in flames at the hands of Pumas UNAM. Now, thanks to last weeks’ results, only two places separate the two teams in the table as Xolos enter in to the game in 14th and Lobos only three points behind them in 16th place.

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We’re expecting this game to mostly be about pride for the visitors who, despite not being mathematically eliminated from reaching La Liguilla, are extremely unlikely to be heading to the post-season. Lobos on the other hand are only four points clear of Atlas and Veracruz with three match days left. The wolves will be looking to pick up the W and extend the gap, as well as eliminate any risk of relegation as FC Juarez, a promotion eligible team, currently sit comfortably atop Mexico’s second division.

Not only are Lobos coming in to this game with their backs up against the wall, they’re also coming in to it in impressive form having gone unbeaten in their last five games (W2, D3, L0). Conversely, Tijuana have only won once in the same period and that was five weeks ago (W1, D1, L3).

More bad news follows for Xolos fans as Lobos also like to employ a 4-4-2 formation, just as Pumas did last week. This will be the fifth time this season that Xolos will face this formation with the border city team only winning one of the previous four meetings; a 2 – 1 win over Chivas on the opening day of the season. Since match day 1, Xolos have lost 3 – 0 to Toluca, 1 – 0 to Pumas and drew 2 – 2 with Santos with each team utilizing a 4-4-2.

Taking all of this in to account, I’m predicting Lobos to take this one with danger man Leonardo Ramos being the likely culprit to inflict damage on Tijuana’s struggling back-line. Final score: Lobos 2 – 0 Club Tijuana.

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