In an impressive display at Estadio Hidalgo, Tijuana triumphed over Pachuca with a score of 2-0 in Matchday 5 of Liga MX. Gilberto Mora opened the scoring for the Xolos in the 33rd minute, followed closely by Kevin Castañeda, who secured the victory with a goal just before halftime at the 45th minute.
Despite Pachuca registering a substantial 23 shots throughout the match, the Tuzos struggled to find the back of the net. The statistics show that only 11 of their shots were on target, with 2 hitting the post and the remaining 10 going wide.
Gilberto Mora stood out as the man of the match, showcasing his skills with a well-taken goal. Additionally, Rafael Fernández made his mark as a vital defender, successfully clearing four dangerous balls from his area.
Pachuca’s head coach, Jaime Lozano, set up his team in a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Carlos Moreno as the goalkeeper and a defensive lineup of Carlos Sánchez, Eduardo Bauermann, Alonso Aceves, and Sergio Barreto. In the midfield, Elías Montiel, Gastón Togni, Alan Bautista, Víctor Guzmán, and Luis Quiñones were tasked with creating chances, while Jhonder Cádiz served as the lone striker.
On the other side, Tijuana’s coach Sebastián Abreu opted for the same 4-5-1 formation, with Antonio Rodríguez guarding the net. The defense included Rafael Fernández, Jackson Porozo, Domingo Blanco, and Pablo Ortiz, while the midfield comprised Kevin Castañeda, Frank Boya, Iván Tona, Jesús Gómez, and Gilberto Mora, with Ramiro Árciga leading the attack.
Referee Salvador Pérez Villalobos officiated the match at Estadio Hidalgo.
Looking ahead, Pachuca will travel to León for their next game, while Tijuana is set to host Chivas. With this victory, Tijuana now sits atop the table with a total of 12 points, while Pachuca remains in seventh place with 8 points.
Substitutions for Pachuca
45’ 2nd half – Gastón Togni was substituted by Oussama Idrissi, and Víctor Guzmán was replaced by Kenedy.
67’ 2nd half – Carlos Sánchez made way for Alexandre Alemão.
86’ 2nd half – Alan Bautista was substituted by William Carvalho, and Sergio Barreto was replaced by Jorge Berlanga.
Yellow Cards for Pachuca:
18’ 1st half – Alan Bautista (Unsporting behavior), 43’ 1st half – Carlos Sánchez (Holding an opponent to prevent him from advancing), 44’ 1st half – Elías Montiel (Arguing with an opponent), and 6’ 2nd half – Oussama Idrissi (Unsporting behavior).
Substitutions for Tijuana
62’ 2nd half – Ramiro Árciga left the field for Adonis Preciado, and Gilberto Mora was replaced by Joban González.
76’ 2nd half – Kevin Castañeda made way for Jesùs Vega.
85’ 2nd half – Rafael Fernández was substituted by Aarón Mejía.
Yellow Cards for Tijuana:
11’ 1st half – Jackson Porozo (Unsporting behavior), 44’ 1st half – Frank Boya (Arguing with an opponent), 1’ 2nd half – Pablo Ortiz (Unsporting behavior), 7’ 2nd half – Ramiro Árciga (Failing to respect the barrier distance), and 57’ 2nd half – Antonio Rodríguez (Delaying the game).
Red Card for Tijuana:
16’ 2nd half – Domingo Blanco (Direct red).