The Aztexan

Now that's the kind of Aztex game we could get used to! Despite a slow start — letting Puerto Rico have the bulk of possession for the better part of the first half, in fact — Austin was able to rally to a strong, no-doubt-about-it win over the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finalists.

The You-Had-To-Be-There Moment of the Match: the 3rd Austin goal. Nine minutes after the Aztex secured their 2-0 lead, the Islanders pulled one back in the 64th minute. With all the concerns about the Austin roster lately, it was easy to envision the game slipping away, at least to a draw. But when Yordany scooted that shot past Gaudette in the 88th, there was no doubt that we had it sewn up.

Here's a rundown of other post-match coverage:

• box score — USLSoccer.com

  Weather: Hot

• Aztex get win over Puerto Rico — Austin American-Statesman
  

  Making his USL-1 debut in place of the injured Silva on the right wing, Jeff Harwell was the catalyst, sending an inviting cross into the Islanders' box. Alvarez was on hand to nod home from 4 yards out in the 42nd minute.
  
  "I'm very pleased for the players because there were what people would count as the fringe players ... (who) have done well. I thought Jeff Harwell was fantastic tonight," said Austin coach Adrian Heath.

• Alvarez leads Aztex to 3-1 victory over Islanders — AustinAztex.com
  

  Alvarez tallied two goals and an assist to lead the Aztex (2-2-3, 9 points) to a 3-1 victory over Puerto Rico (2-3-3, 9 points) Friday in front of 2,019 fans at Nelson Field.
  
  "Personally, this was really important," Alvarez said through a Spanish translator. "I'm getting confidence and I need that confidence."
  
  Alvarez’s two-goal night pushes his season goal total to three, all of which have come against Puerto Rico.

• Islanders lose again, 1-3 to Aztex — The Offside's Islanders blog
  

  It is the first time a USL team scores 3 goals against the Islanders since June 21st last year, when the Atlanta Silverbacks defeated the Puerto Ricans 3-1.
  
  It’s also the first time the Islanders lose two in a row since they dropped the first two games of the 2008 season against Portland and Miami.

• Austin Aztex FC vs. Puerto Rico Islanders Highlights — austinaztex1 @ YouTube
  
  

Next up for the Aztex: a Friday/Sunday home double header next weekend against the Charleston Battery. Though the Battery are undefeated after 9 contests (5-0-4), they have 19 points, earning them 2nd place in the current standings.

As the Aztexan Schedule & Index shows, Friday night's game will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel. At FSC's request, all fans will be seated on the far side of the field, in the eastern stands. To make up for the inconvenience, the team will give a 50% discount on tickets to Sunday's match to attendees of Friday's game.

Labels: postgame, USL-1