Tijuana Claim Final Playoff Spot with Win Over Atlas

Tijuana defated Atlas last night at the Estadio Caliente to arrange a quarterfinal tie with Cruz Azul.

A Thursday evening loss to Club América ensured that Los Xolos would have one final chance to qualify for the quarterfinals, but they would need to overcome the challenge of an Atlas side which came from behind to win against Chivas in the Clásico Tapatío.

The home side wasted no time, opening the scoring within the first four minutes through José Zúñiga. A misplaced back pass from Jeremy Márquez fell perfectly into the path of the 30-year-old, who rounded the onrushing Camilo Vargas and calmly slotted the ball into the net to give Tijuana an early lead.

Just 20 minutes into the game, Tijuana found themselves with a 2-0 lead after Atlas failed to clear their lines inside the box. The loose ball fell to Zúñiga, who capitalised on the opportunity by stabbing it into the back of the net. Zúñiga goes into the playoffs having scored three from his last two outings.

Tijuana continued pressing for a third goal, but Vargas stood firm, making a strong save to deny Kevin Castañeda's powerful strike. As the first half drew to a close, Vargas once again showcased his brilliance, stretching out a strong right hand to prevent Zúñiga from completing his hat-trick. The best chance of the half came in its dying moments when 16-year-old Gilberto Mora rose to meet a cross, only to see his header bounce off the goalpost.

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Atlas struggled to find their rhythm throughout the match, relying heavily on Vargas to keep them in contention. However, Los Xolos continued to pile on the pressure in search of a third goal. Moments earlier, Eduardo Armenta missed a golden opportunity, firing wide from close range. But Tijuana's persistence paid off when Kevin Castañeda sealed their qualification, calmly slotting his effort past Vargas to put the game beyond reach.

The full-time whistle brought an end to a dismal night for Atlas. Just three days after their triumphant comeback against Chivas, they appeared sluggish and outmatched against a vibrant Tijuana side that, on another day, could easily have scored five or six.

This result means that Atlas' run in the 2024 Apertura has come to an end. As for Tijuana, they welcome a double header quarterfinal tie with the Apertura league winners, Cruz Azul.

How far can Tijuana go in the Apertura playoffs? Let us know!