The Aztexan

The Aztex will host USL-1 rivals Puerto Rico Islanders on Friday night at Nelson Field at 7:30 PM. The game will be Austin's last exhibition match before the start of the regular season.

Tickets for this match are $18 and $22, the just-announced regular season ticket price.

The Islanders most recently faced Mexico's Cruz Azul at home in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, winning that match 2-0.

Also potentially significant late for the Islanders was the debut of the tall Kyle Veris as a defender. Veris has CONCACAF experience having played for the Galaxy in the 2006 CONCACAF Champions Cup, and also is a veteran of the Norwegian second division. (Veris played a role in getting his side promoted to the top flight of Norwegian football but was released after promotion.) It is possible Manager Colin Clarke will feature Veris and possibly sit Scott Jones in the second leg.

Another disappointment for Puerto Rico was the inability to spring Kendall Jagdeosingh free on counter attacking goal scoring opportunity. The Islanders seemed too tired and too committed to defending to take chances going forward.

Puerto Rico will be heading from here to Mexico City's Estadio Azul for the second leg of that Champions League semifinal next Tuesday. If they advance to the finals, they will face one of the two other Mexican powerhouses remaining in the championship: Santos Laguna or Atlante.

Though the first games of the USL-1 season begin next weekend on April 11, the first Aztex game will be the home opener on April 18 vs. the Minnesota Thunder. That will be the first of 3 home games in a single week: Austin will also host the Vancouver Whitecaps on Tuesday, April 21, and the Cleveland City Stars the following Saturday, April 25.

As for the last game, supporters will meet before & after at the Nomad Bar (map). See you there, and at the game!

Labels: CONCACAF, exhibition, gameday, USL-1