Guadalajara beats Tijuana 2-0 on goals by Pulido, Brizuela

Guadalajara —  Guadalajara, managed by Paraguayan Jose Saturnino Cardozo, beat Tijuana 2-0 on goals by Alan Pulido and Isaac Brizuela, getting off to a good start in the first match-day of the 2019 Mexican league Clausura tournament.

Pulido scored in the 55th minute of Saturday’s match and Brizuela added a goal in the 94th minute.

Guadalajara, playing at home, dominated Tijuana in the second half of the match.

Tijuana played a solid first half, but Guadalajara’s half-time adjustments did the trick, allowing the club to start the tournament with a victory.

Guadalajara is trying to bounce back after missing the playoffs in the Apertura tournament and performing poorly at the FIFA Club World Cup, where the Mexican team finished in sixth place.

Cardozo wants the Chivas to be a leader in the Clausura tournament and his squad showed it was ready to fight for a title.

In other action on Saturday, French striker Andre Pierre Gignac nailed a penalty kick in the 95th minute to help the Tigres UANL tie Leon 2-2 on the road.

On Sunday, the Pumas UNAM will host Veracruz and the Lobos BUAP will take on Santos Laguna, closing out the first round of play in the Clausura tournament, which ends on May 26.