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Moreno and Guzman shine for Tijuana; doomed Dorados show some fight

Week 11 will likely go down as one of the more eye-catching weekends in the 2016 Clausura.

Chivas defeated Monterrey 3-1 in Monterrey, Dorados beat Santos Laguna 3-1 and Pachuca dominated Veracruz in a whopping 6-0 win.

Here's what we learned...

1. Xolos on the cusp of finding success

"Unfortunately, we are not finishing our chances and ending with the same outcome, the draw," said Tijuana manager Miguel "Piojo" Herrera after last Friday's 0-0 result against Toluca.

The statement by the former Mexico national team coach could easily be applied to any of the seven draws the club has accumulated so far this season. This may seem like a worrying trend, but Los Xolos are still undefeated in their last eight matches and are only one of two teams left in the league with only one defeat.

Dayro Moreno and Carlos Guzman have looked excellent and will be crucial to Tijuana's hopes in the rest of the Clausura. Even with numerous draws in hand and no wins at home, Tijuana has looked excellent in defense and has still been able to maintain a spot in the top eight.

If the backline remains solid and Los Xolos improve in attack, the Tijuana club should be able to qualify for the Liguilla for the first time since the 2014 Clausura. Keep an eye on a team that is quietly improving.

2. Dorados will leave Liga MX with dignity

After the surprising 3-1 win against Santos Laguna, writers and critics have thrown around the idea of "hope" for Dorados during the past couple of days. The harsh reality is that it will be nearly impossible for the team stay alive.

The club will need at least 15 more points for a fighting chance to stay in the Liga MX. however, there is something to be said for the recent results the relegation candidates have achieved. Dorados have only lost once in the last four league matches and are not giving up in the fight for survival.

Their chances of playing in the 2016 Apertura are very slim, but the club is at least showing a fighting spirit in the second half of this Clausura.

3. Chivas' dramatic rise in form

Even after losing to America 2-1 in the recent Clasico Nacional, Chivas fans remained optimistic following an excellent performance from the Guadalajara side that nearly resulted in a draw.

Many questioned whether Chivas would be able to replicate that performance against league-leaders Monterrey during Week 11 but Los Rojiblancos responded with an astounding 3-1 away win over Los Rayados on Saturday night.

Isaac Brizuela and Carlos Pena were both instrumental in the victory but the man of the match was easily second half substitute Javier "Chofis" Lopez. The 21-year-old scored twice for Chivas in five minutes and was the savior for the team that has struggled to find the back of the net this year.

With Chivas starting to click in the attack, expect Omar Bravo to remain on in the bench in the near future. Los Rojiblancos' two wins this season have arrived in the only two matches the 36-year-old has started as a substitute.

4. Gignac and Tigres are losing momentum

Current champions Tigres have won just once in six. Up top, French international striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has now gone three league games in a row without scoring. Is there a crisis in Monterrey?

Some of the blame could be put on the team's busy schedule. Many have pointed out the club hasn't had a break since last season and is still currently involved in the CONCACAF Champions League.

In Sunday's 0-0 away draw against Puebla, the squad also had to deal with numerous injuries in the starting XI.

Excuses or not, the team is slowly moving down the league table and might get knocked out of the top eight if poor results continue during the next couple of weeks.

5. Pachuca's youngsters are on point

Both Hirving Lozano and Rodolfo Pizarro justified their recent Mexico call-ups with superb performances for Pachuca in Saturday's 6-0 win over Veracruz. While Pizarro earned praise for his goal and assist in the victory, it was Lozano who wowed fans with his hat trick in the one-sided result.

The two youngsters weren't the only national team call-ups to stand out either. Midfielder Erick Gutierrez, who was selected for the Olympic U23 roster, finished the match with a goal and an assist as well.

Fans of Los Tuzos should enjoy this season while they can. With European sides eyeing the three Mexican youngsters, it may be the last tournament they all play together before moving abroad.