WHEN CLUB TIJUANA TRAVELS to Torreón, Mexico, to play Santos Laguna on Friday (10:30 p.m. Eastern, Univision Deportes), two Yanks will be returning to previously chartered territory—with fond memories.

Edgar Castillo and Herculez Gomez have both won titles with Los Guerreros prior to joining the Xolos. And while they've told me in separate interviews that they're happy in Tijuana playing for Xolos, their experiences with Santos Laguna hold memories for both players.

Castillo, who was discovered by the club while still a high school student in New Mexico, made his debut for Santos Laguna at age 19. During his time at Santos, Castillo was called up to the Mexican national team’s U-23 side, and eventually made his way to the first team under Hugo Sanchez. Shortly thereafter FIFA cleared Castillo to play for the U.S. national team. By making the switch from El Tri to the U.S., he became only one of two players in history to have capped for both Mexico and the United States at the senior level. (The other is Castillo's current U.S. national team assistant coach Martin Vasquez.)

Though he's been all over Mexico with Club America, Tigres (current club of Jose Torres), Puebla (home to DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Orozco), and others, Castillo says his time with Santos Laguna—which included a title in 2008—contributed most to his development as a player, and he often returns to Torreón, where he has a house and where most of his family lives.

"Both my parents were born there," Castillo says, "I have family there, and it makes me really happy to be there and be around my family."

Tijuana, Castillo adds, feels similar to Torreón. “It’s the same here in Tijuana. I get that same happy feeling all the time because I’m around family across the border in San Diego. It’s nice.”

Gomez, who joined Tijuana in June and speaks highly of the club, spent 2011-2013 with Santos, winning a title in 2012. In doing so, he became the first-ever player to win both a Liga MX Championship and an MLS Championship—which he accomplished with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2005. Gomez also became a two-time CONCACAF Champions League finalist with Santos Laguna in the same year, when he scored six goals against MLS competition in CCL play—the most of any player in the competition.

Gomez' spell in Torreón also ignites memories of time spent with current Mexico hero Oribe Peralta, who is perhaps Santos' best-known player.

"Oribe is a guy in and around the box who's one of the best I've ever been with," Gomez tells me. "He's the ultimate team player, he does everything you could ask a center forward to do besides score goals. And even then, he scores goals."

Beyond Gomez and Castillo's personal ties to the area, Friday's contest should be a good matchup between two Mexican teams desperate for wins.

Kim Tate covers Liga MX for American Soccer Now. Follow her on Twitter.