Why was Rodrigo Aguirre expelled? The strict rule that cost Tigres their defeat
Rodrigo Aguirre made a serious mistake by covering his mouth while arguing with a rival and it ended up being the factor in Tigres' defeat at Xolos's home
The UANL Tigres experienced a hell of a night in their debut as visitors in the Apertura 2026 tournament. The feline squad fell 3-1 to the Xolos de Tijuana in a match marked by controversy and indiscipline.
The breaking point occurred at minute 45 2. Uruguayan Rodrigo Aguirre received a direct red card after referee Ismael Rosario López strictly applied the “Prestianni Law” to him. The feline forward made the mistake of addressing an opponent with his hand covering his mouth.
The extra value: Xolos won without his greatest jewel
As if that were not enough, the Tijuana team had the luxury of beating the cats without using Gilberto Mora. The jewel of the Mexican team is still enjoying a period of rest after his outstanding participation in the World Cup. While reporting 100% with the club, the youth player takes advantage of the time to analyze attractive offers from the old continent.
The mistake that cost the game
This action left the Tigers conditioned throughout the second half. The score was 1-1 thanks to the goals of Ramiro Arciga for Tijuana and Ozziel Herrera for the university students. However, playing with ten men caused the northern squad to gradually lose steam.
“Búfalo” Aguirre fell into the trap after getting into an argument with defender Jesús Gómez. By covering his mouth, he replicated exactly the same incident that led to the expulsion of Argentine Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica) against Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) in the last UEFA Champions League. It should be remembered that this rule prohibits this action to avoid racist insults that television cameras cannot record.
Debacle in the agony of the meeting
Xolos took advantage of the numerical superiority in the final stretch. When it seemed that Tigres rescued the tie at the Caliente Stadium, Mourad Daoudi El Ghezouani appeared. The Spanish attacker of Moroccan origin scored a double in the last three minutes of the match to tip the balance definitively in favor of the locals.
Thus was written the story of a vibrant debut full of emotions, infected by the fervor of the 2026 World Cup that concludes this Sunday with the grand final between Spain and Argentina.