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Santos open season with a 2-1 loss to Tijuana

By Eduardo Dávila

TIJUANA, MEXICO - JANUARY 10: Brian Lozano of Santos laments during the 1st round match between Tijuana and Santos Lagunas as part of the Torneo Clausura 2020 Liga MX at Caliente Stadium on January 10, 2020 in Tijuana, Mexico. (Photo by Fausto Vargas/Jam Media/Getty Images)
TIJUANA, MEXICO - JANUARY 10: Brian Lozano of Santos laments during the 1st round match between Tijuana and Santos Lagunas as part of the Torneo Clausura 2020 Liga MX at Caliente Stadium on January 10, 2020 in Tijuana, Mexico. (Photo by Fausto Vargas/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
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Santos Laguna lost their debut game of the Clausura 2020 against Xolos de Tijuana.

With a new year, a new tournament has started. With this comes the excitement and expectations of good results from each and every Liga MX team fan. Transfers, rumors, new coaches, and new jerseys. Emotion’s are in the air.

It’s time to look at Santos Laguna’s Guerreros. The team of the Mexican city of Torreon is no exception as fans were impatiently waiting for the 2020 Clausura’s kick off since the bitter pill that was the Quarter Finals versus Rayados de Monterrey last December. The expectations they set during the regular season for fans was reminiscent of Championships won in the past. The regular season where they played amazingly with the likes of Brian Lozano and Julio Furch leading the offense to amazing wins. Then how hard it was to see everything vanish against their rivals in the Nuevo Leon in the first leg of Liguilla Quarter-Finals getting thrashed 5-2 by Rayados. The same team whom they had to watch win the title as well, something one may assume was hard to take.

Santos Laguna made a couple of moves during the transfer window this winter. Highly-expected ´Gallito´ Vazquez returned to Guadalajara, in addition the departure of Diego de Buen, Jose Abella and Javier Cortes. On the other hand, and in one of Pelaez-Irraragorri typical win-win agreements, young promising Chivas player Alan Cervantes and once popular defender Jose Carlos Van Rankin had agreed to join Guerreros. Despite fans opinions, who were expecting another defensive signing. The team’s coaching staff stated they were ready to go, only waiting for a possible offensive foreign addition.

TORREON, MEXICO – DECEMBER 01: Coach of Santos Guillermo Almada reacts during the quarterfinals second leg match between Santos Laguna and Monterrey as part of the Torneo Apertura 2019 Liga MX at Corona Stadium on December 1, 2019 in Torreon, Mexico. (Photo by Manuel Guadarrama/Getty Images)
TORREON, MEXICO – DECEMBER 01: Coach of Santos Guillermo Almada reacts during the quarterfinals second leg match between Santos Laguna and Monterrey as part of the Torneo Apertura 2019 Liga MX at Corona Stadium on December 1, 2019 in Torreon, Mexico. (Photo by Manuel Guadarrama/Getty Images) /

The Christmas break felt slow for Santos fans, and the countdown for the new start of a Liga MX season was certainly more than a bit unbearable for some Santos supporters. Therefore, most of them were anxious to see what was going to happen in last night’s game against los Xolos de Tijuana. Several supporters of the team would say they feel this tournament maybe a  revenge driven one for the events that occurred against Los Rayados last tournament. The truth is it’s a new opportunity for the team to prove to itself what they can accomplish.

The big day finally arrived this past Friday night on the border city of Tijuana at Stadium Caliente. Where Xolos de Tijuana hosted Santos Laguna for opening night of the 2020 Clausura tournament . All eyes set on the teams. Both team fans bearing out and eager to hear the initial whistle.

The game took place in regular condition. Xolos de Tijuana were able to take the lead on two different times during the match. The first at the 37 minute of the first half with Camilo Sanvezzo’s penalty. Santos were given hope though as Matheus Doria scored on a free kick for Santos in the 50th minute. That hope would be quickly taken away as a rocket kicked by Mauro Lainez´s would make its way to Jonathan Orozco bad viewing angel making it 2-1 in the 52nd minute. The last goal was the most definitive one, and Xolos got the 3 points on its debut game at home beating Santos on a 2-1 final result.

Santos Laguna started the season with a lost game, which many can assume wasn’t the intended way for coach Almada´s squad to open the season. The coaching staff has to now think over how they can improve for week 2. On top of which they have to deal with accumulating pressure from the observant fans who are expecting their team to make things slightly better than how Apertura 2019 ended.

Everything is set and ready for this Clausura, and we will be closely following the performance of Los Guerreros on their way to master Almada’s style, correct deadly mistakes, and be where they should be which is a top 5 team in the league on any given day.

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