Tijuana and Puebla Share Spoils in Scrappy Liga MX Stalemate

Club Tijuana 0-0 Puebla
Estadio Caliente, Tijuana

Club Tijuana and Puebla played out a frustrating goalless draw at the Estadio Caliente on Saturday evening, with neither side able to break the deadlock despite 24 combined shots across 90 minutes.

The Xolos dominated possession with 58% of the ball but struggled to convert their territorial advantage into clear-cut chances. Both sides registered identical shot totals inside the box (5 vs 6), highlighting the defensive solidity that characterised proceedings throughout.

Tijuana’s afternoon was summed up by their early booking, with U. Bilbao cautioned in the 33rd minute as frustrations began to mount. The hosts’ passing was crisp enough - 89% accuracy from 460 attempts - but they lacked the final ball to trouble Puebla goalkeeper, who made four saves to earn his clean sheet.

Puebla, despite sitting 14th in the table with just four points from four matches, showed why they’ve won two of their last five Liga MX fixtures. Their compact 4-1-4-1 formation frustrated Tijuana’s build-up play, though they offered little going forward beyond seven corner kicks that came to nothing.

Both managers turned to their benches extensively in search of a breakthrough. All ten outfield substitutions were used by the 84th minute, with Tijuana’s Miguel Herrera bringing on fresh legs in R. Arciga at half-time and making wholesale changes in the final quarter.

The draw sees eighth-placed Tijuana inch closer to the playoff positions but slip to 1.5 points per game. For Puebla, currently six places and two points behind their opponents, this felt more like a point gained than two dropped as they continue their fight to climb away from the relegation zone.

With both teams struggling for goals this season - evidenced by Tijuana’s modest +1 goal difference and Puebla’s -1 - Saturday’s stalemate felt entirely predictable. Sometimes in Liga MX, one point each is exactly what the match deserves.