Deportivo Toluca aim to return to winning ways this Wednesday, October 21, when they host Club Tijuana at the Estadio Nemesio Diez in matchday 13 of the Liga MX Apertura. The Red Devils are coming off a 1-1 home draw against Atlético San Luis last weekend, a result that keeps them second in the standings with 21 points but extends their winless run to five matches. This second-place standing is built on a record of six wins, three draws, and three losses from twelve games played, but their recent form is a concern, with zero wins, two draws, and three losses in their last five outings.
Toluca's last victory was over a month ago, making the clash with the Xolos key for rebuilding momentum. Uruguayan striker Viñas, the team's top scorer with five goals in nine appearances, will be a key figure in attack. In defence, the starting lineup from the San Luis draw, featuring González in goal and the centre-back pairing of Simón and López, is expected to start again. The draw on Saturday 17 October was secured by a 67th-minute goal from Érick Gutiérrez, though the team could not hold the lead.
The border rival
Club Tijuana, for their part, sit ninth in the table and arrive following a 3-2 loss to Atlas and a 2-2 draw with Pachuca. Their usual 4-1-4-1 setup, with veteran Rodríguez in goal and striker Mourad as the offensive focal point, will look to exploit the hosts' lack of a winning rhythm. Recent history favours Toluca, who won convincingly in their last official meeting.
Trailing leaders América by three points, every home game is a final for Toluca's title aspirations. Across the season, the team has scored 26 goals and conceded 16, giving them a +10 goal difference. A win against Tijuana would not only end the poor run but also apply pressure at the top before their next fixture in matchday 14. The match is scheduled for 7:00 PM local time and will be a test of character for a squad needing to prove its worth in the decisive stage of the tournament. The poor run includes results like the 3-2 loss to Tigres UANL on Saturday 10 October, where Viñas and Paulinho scored for Toluca, and the 2-1 defeat to Monterrey on Saturday 3 October.
