The Tijuana Xolos vs Morelia Liga MX Week 4 match will take place at the Estadio Morelos on Saturday, August 3, 2013 (5:00 PM Pacific). Morelia is currently in third place with 6 points, and will face a Xolos squad that has yet to play an away game this season.
Morelia has earned six points out of three matches this season, both victories coming in away games. Morelia defeated Queretaro in Week one 3-1, and then defeated Tigres this past Wednesday 2-1. Morelia’s sole loss of the season came against Toluca at the Estadio Morelos, an exciting 3-4 defeat.
Morelia has proven to have a powerful attack, coach Bustos has done a great job at getting his team firing on all cylinders, just like it did last season. Morelia has scored 8 goals in three matches, making it the best offense in the Liga MX. However, just like last season, the Morelia offense is quite weak, having allowed an average of 2 goals per game. It appears coach Bustos’ tactical plan relies on a free-flowing, high scoring game, hoping to simply overwhelm the opposing team.
Xolos has only played two matches this season, due to having its away game against Club America postponed to October. In the first game, Xolos battled Atlas to a 3-3 draw, an odd result for a Tijuana Club that is known for its strong defense. Tijuana followed that game up with a 1-0 home victory over Pachuca, a win that most closely resembled the type of games that Turco Mohammed had made Tijuana famous for.
Under new head coach Jorge Almiron, Xolos appears to play a much more offensive style than it did under Turco Mohammed. This is made clear by the starting formation Almiron used in the match against Pachuca. Almiron included Richard Ruiz, Fidel Martinez, Olsina, Benedetto, and Cerda in the starting eleven. These five players are known for their offensive talent, under Turco, no more than 3 of these players would have started at the same time.
Although this will be Almiron’s first away match, I still believe he will play with an offensive formation. Look for Edgar Castillo and Joe Corona to start the game as well, as they are more likely rested from their participation in the Gold Cup. New Xolos striker Herculez Gomez is still out injured, and will have to wait a couple more weeks to make his debut.
Xolos vs Morelia Prediction
The Xolos vs Morelia match will be a game where the defense takes a back seat, and the offensive prowess of both teams will shine. Look for a high scoring game with plenty of action. Both coaches like to focus on offense, and have plenty of talented attackers that can create scoring opportunities. The Xolos vs Morelia match will end in a 2-2 draw.
Xolos vs Morelia 2013 Television
The Tijuana Xolos vs Morelia match will be televised on Azteca America on Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 5:00 PM Pacific.
