The Aztexan

The Aztex USL-1 squad is on the road this weekend, taking the game to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Thunder.

The Aztex faced the Thunder here at home in the very first game of the season. That game resulted in a 1-1 draw, the first of many the Red & White have gotten this season. Minnesota's 11 points (a 2-8-5 record) makes them one of only 2 teams below the Aztex in the league standings, though they do have two games in hand over Austin.

The Thunder are coming off a 3-0 upset over the Montreal Impact (match report / box score). Though given some of Montreal's craziness lately, from Impact players choking each other during that game to the head coach getting ejected the following week in Rochester, perhaps beating them doesn't prove all that much.

Austin's roster will be bolstered by another new face this week: defender Kevin Sakuda. As opposed to some of the shorter-term loaners we've seen in Aztex kit, Sakuda's contract extends to the end of the season. Per the team website:

Austin scouted Sakuda in the preseason after he was released from Seattle when the team transitioned to the MLS. Sakuda slipped through and decided to sign with Montreal.

...“From my point of view, he’s a perfect fit for us,” Heath said. “He can play defense, he can play in midfield . . . and he’s experienced at this level.”

There is also a short Q&A with Sakuda on the team site.

It is a younger group here, obviously a first-year team. This’ll be my seventh year in the league so I think I can bring a bit of experience. I was part of some successful teams in Seattle. So, I think I’ve been through it. Hopefully I can add [to the team] in whatever way.

In other roster news, goalkeeper Nick Noble is coming in on a short-term contract (till Aug. 10), and MLS loaners Erik Ustruck (Houston Dynamo) and Yohance Marshall (LA Galaxy) have returned to their teams.

The pressure on the Aztex to get this expansion season turned around continues to build. Striker & captain Noel-Williams made his return last week, and Sakuda should help to shore up the young, mistake-prone Austin defense. Though they're on the road, Minnesota is arguably the weakest team in the league so far this season. Let's hope Austin comes out strong and starts to show that they can be contenders.

The game kicks off tonight at 7:05 CT, and will be broadcast for free on USLLive.com (the video production quality of Thunder home games is usually a cut above average). If you're at Copa Aztex watching Tigres vs Cruz Azul tonight, you can watch the archived video there, too.

After this game, the Aztex will be back in town next Saturday, July 25, to host the Montreal Impact.

Labels: gameday, players, USL-1