Athletic Club Quick To Score, Beating Club Tijuana 2-0
Soccer News: Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente continues to expand its reach within the United States. And the Xoloitzcuintles reached more fans with its 2-0 loss against Athletic Club Bilbao of Spain in the Basque Soccer Friendly.
Artiz Aduriz (3rd Minute) and Beñat Etxebarria (23rd) scored for the la Liga Side at Albertsons Stadium on the campus of Boise State University. It was Club Tijuana’s fourth and final preseason match heading into the LIGA MX 2015 Apertura tournament. Club Tijuana finished the preseason with a 2-2 record with wins against Club Leon, Monarcas Morelia and loses to Cruz Azul and Bilbao.
The Xoloitzcuintles open league play Saturday July 25 at Pachuca.
Athletic Club got off to a quick start when Markel Susaeta sent a cross to the center of the box where it found Aduriz, last season’s Athletic Bilbao’s top goal scorer. Aduriz headed in the ball into the back of the net.
Etxebarria doubled the lead after taking advantage of a missed played pass from Xoloitzcuintles goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas.
Club Tijuana created a handful of chances in both halves. Coach Ruben Romano’s squad thought it had tied the match 1-1 when Felipe Flores buried a ball in to the net in the 12th minute. Flores threatened again in the 29th minute when he sent a header on a cross by Rodrigo Salinas on target but was blocked by Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
The Xoloitzcuintles tried to rally in the second half, pressuring with an attack fueled by second half substitutes. Paul Arriola set up Jose Antonio Madueña in the opening minutes of the half but hi shot went just over the crossbar.
Arriola dribbled through the right wing into the box and unleashed a shot in the 78th minute that was blocked by Iraizoz, the Bilbao goalkeeper.
The exhibition match was the first time Club Tijuana played in Idaho in what was being called the largest soccer event in the history of the state. Game organizers placed natural grass over the famous blue artificial turf used during the university’s college football games. The grass will then be removed after the soccer match and be donated to community soccer fields in the area.
FINAL SCORE:
ATHLETIC CLUB 2, XOLOS 0
STARTERS:
Tijuana: 81. Adrian Zendejas, 2. Leiton Jimenez, 3. Javier Gandolfi, 6. Jose Maria Cardenas, 7. Gabriel Hauche, 8. Diego de Buen, 16. Michael Orozco, 17. Dayro Moreno, 22. Juan Carlos Nuñez, 23. Felipe Flores, 29. Rodrigo Salinas
Athletic Club: 1. Iraizoz, 2. De Marcos, 4. Etxeita, 5. Gurpegi, 3. Balenziaga, 8. Iturraspe, 7. Beñat, 6. Eraso, 10. Susaeta, 9. Aduriz, 11. Williams
