Who Let The Dogs Out: Club Tijuana to the Primera Division
Yes, the song is corny indeed. We know.
But the Baha Men must be grinning somewhere out in the world because a certain group of men from Baja are going to the Liga Mexicana de Futbol's Primera Division.
That certain group of men: Club Tijuana Xolozcuintles de la Caliente, managed by Joaquin Del Olmo.
They defeated Irapuato today through goals by San Diego local product Joe Corona in the 29th minute and Mauro Gerk in the 32nd minute to win the match and the aggregate, 2-1.
Alejandro Molina scored an own goal in the 38th minute for Irapuato, who did not have the services of Cuahtemoc Blanco for the second leg (remember him, Chicago Fire fans?).
Tijuana finished 24-6-15 for the entire season. Not a bad record.
Now, as a featured columnist here in Southern California, I find it very welcoming news. Here in Long Beach, where I am from, there is a bus service by Greyhound's subsidiary, Crucero. Now the Crucero, which is based in Southern California, provides service to Tijuana, and passengers can reserve for as low as five dollars, three dollars or even one dollar. But you need to reserve in advance.
Just imagine...a five-dollar, three-dollar or one-dollar bus ride away from Primera Division football. Matches involving the real Chivas, Pumas UNAM, America, Atlas, Pachuca, Cruz Azul, Atlante, Necaxa, Toluca, Monterrey, Morelia...the list goes on and on.
The only thing that will stop Tijuana from moving up is if FEMEXFUT give the ultimate middle-finger salute and deny Los Xolos promotion due to the stadium not meeting specifications.
Please. That is a formality. Give them the green light already, FEMEXFUT! This team is ready.
Who knows how long these dogs will stay in the pack. Hopefully, Tijuana will up the ante and bring in quality players to challenge the other teams in the Primera Division, arguably the strongest league in the CONCACAF region, so that they will contend for the long haul.
With that said, it's officially time for Tijuana to show the Primera Division what Los Xolos football is all about.
