FOR THE SEMIFINALS

TIJUANA –Club Tijuana de Caliente faces one of the most attractive matches in international soccer and its ticket to the semifinals of the 2013 Copa Bridgestone Libertadores Thursday May 30 when it visits Club Atletico Mineiro in the second leg of the quarterfinals.

The Xoloitzcuintles trained in the dark Wednesday May 29 after Estadio Independencia was left without electricity.  The team arrived at the stadium at 7 p.m. Belo Horizonte time, as scheduled. The coaching staff and the players were told lighting hit and damaged a stadium generator, leaving the stadium without lights but, strangely, the stadium offices still had electricity.  

Even without lights, coach Antonio Mohamed told his players they would practice. They went through some stretching exercises then went on to work on set pieces.

The team practiced with the aid of some television camera lights and the headlights of a van and the team bus. The team trained for more than 90 minutes.

Mohamed spoke via a news conference in which he expressed his displeasure in the lack of lights at the stadium in the team’s last practice before its match against Atletico Mineiro. He also said that Atletico Mineiro was given all the necessary tools to practice in Tijuana for the first leg match played at Estadio Caliente last week.

When asked how he found the field at Estadio Independencia Mohamed answered the following.

“Dark,” said Mohamed, who also pointed out that he found the field to be a fast pitch.

Mohamed said he expects his team to play a good match as he is confident that the problem with the lights will be resolved and the game will go on without a setback. He said he thinks it will be a close and difficult game but has confidence in his team to win and move on to the next round.

Meanwhile, Ecuadorian striker Fidel Martinez said he expects a fast and complicated game but also said that Club Tijuana has the weapons necessary to make it out of this stage and move on in the 2013 Copa Bridgestone Libertadores.

After an exciting first leg match played last week at Estadio Caliente resulting in a 2-2 draw, the Xoloitzcuintles will look to get a favorable result despite the fact that the Brazilians hold the series tie breaker with two away goals to none. Duvier Riascos (32nd minute) and Martinez (53rd) scored for the Xoloitzcuintles in that match seven days ago. The Brazilians tied the aggregate score with goals by Diego Tardelli (65th) and Luan (90+), leaving the series wide open for more intense soccer.

Another tight and fought out game is expected between these two teams trying to earn a slot in the semis. Club Tijuana says it is read for Thursday’s match (6 p.m. Pacific) after its Wednesday night training session.

A great atmosphere surrounds Club Tijuana’s attitude as it goes through a great moment in its history even if it is more than 6,000 miles away from Tijuana. The team will look to write a new page in its international soccer history.