Xolos crush León 5-0 in Apertura 2025 Matchday 9

September 19, 2025, Liga BBVA MX, Tijuana, Mexico (Photo: Club Tijuana)

On a night to remember, Xolos de Tijuana destroyed León with a resounding 5-0 win in Matchday 9 of the Apertura 2025, showcasing an offensive and effective style of play even without the presence of Gilberto Mora. Under the guidance of Sebastián Abreu, the border team took full advantage of their home ground at the Estadio Caliente to secure a direct spot in the playoffs, climbing up to fifth place in the standings.

The start was explosive. In the 11th minute, after a run down the wing by Vega, Frank Boya finished inside the box to open the scoring. Just four minutes later, Jackson Porozo rose high to head in a free kick from Castañeda and made it 2-0. The pressure continued until the 28th minute when a cross from Árciga found Rafa F, who scored his first goal with the Xolos jersey and the team’s third of the night, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

With Mourad (ex Elche) making his debut as a starter and bringing balance, and with Ezequiel Bullaude recently arrived from Europe, the Argentine made his own debut goal after an assist from Preciado. In stoppage time, Shamar Nicholson sealed the historic win with the fifth and final goal for the border side.

Tijuana relentlessly attacked down the left flank, as the coach himself highlighted in the post-match conference. The high pressing and solid defensive line of five also neutralized any attempt from León to get back into the game. There was even room for entertainment as a new drone show lit up halftime and thrilled the fans.

Although James was absent for León and Mora missed the game for Tijuana due to national team duties, the squad showed cohesion and offensive variety. New signings such as Mourad and Bullaude left very good impressions, while the 18,333 fans in the Estadio Caliente enjoyed a perfect night.

Xolos will now visit Santos Laguna in their next match, while León will try to bounce back at home against Mazatlán.