The Aztexan

The Aztex take the field for the first of just three home games this month Wednesday evening, July 1, at 7:30. They host MLS' Houston Dynamo in the 3rd round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The cup, the oldest team tournament in U.S. sports history, is just seeing the entrance of the top-level MLS teams in this round. The winner of this game will go to Charleston to play the Charleston Battery, who beat MLS' Chivas USA tonight, 3-1.

The Dynamo are a formidable opponent, coming into the game at the top of the MLS table, with a record of 8-3-4. They are returning to the Lone Star State from a 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy, however. That defeat ended an 11-game unbeaten streak for Houston.

This won't be the first time the Red & White have hosted the Orange. Houston was here back in March for a preseason game, a contest that ended in a 2-2 draw.

Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear gave his view of the Open Cup in a short interview with AustinAztex.com:

AA: How important is the Open Cup to you guys? With the longer season, where is it in your priorities?

DK: It’s important to us. Obviously the bigger priority for us is the MLS and the MLS Cup. But this is a game for us to win. It’s the easiest trophy to win. You play four games in a row over a period of a time and you get the trophy.

Both teams will be missing some of their key players:

Houston’s Brian Ching and Stuart Holden are on the U.S. national team’s roster for the Gold Cup and are on their way to Seattle for the opening match against Grenada on Saturday. Defender Andrew Hainault will be on national team duty for Canada while Wade Barrett and Craig Waibel are out with injuries.

Match Forecast

Temp:	upper 80s
Rain:	10%
Wind:	3mph
Sunset:	8:37

as of 9:00 PM, 6/30/09

Add in Ricardo Clark who has been out with the national team after its spectacular run in the Confederations Cup and the Dynamo have had to do some shuffling.

...The Aztex are without starting goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo (leg) and midfielder and second-leading scorer Yordany Alvarez (foot). Also missing for nine games has been forward Gifton Noel-Williams, who has been out with a bad hamstring. Noel-Williams is slowly working his way back to form and said he should be fit enough for Wednesday.

Speaking of Noel-Williams, the game may see a reunion of sorts between him and former teammate Ade Akinbiyi:

Noel-Williams knows firsthand about Akinbiyi. The two became close friends during their time playing together for Stoke City and Burnley back in England where the duo’s physical presence proved to be effective both on and off the field.

The game should be a great one. Advancement to face Charleston in the 4th round is on the line, temperatures will stay down in the comfortable, 2-digit range all day, and lots of Dynamo fans are expected to make the trip. It may just be, as the Aztex email promotion claims, "THE BIGGEST COMPETITIVE SOCCER GAME IN AUSTIN HISTORY!"

Kickoff will be at 7:30, so that means the pre-match supporters' gathering at Nomad Bar (map) will start to come together about 5:00. Tickets for the match are $20 for adults, $15 for kids 12 and under.

After this game, the Aztex turn around and head back to Ohio on Friday for a rematch of last weekend's game against the Cleveland City Stars. That match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel.

Labels: gameday, MLS, U.S. Open Cup, USL-1

The Aztex were once again the victims of another team's miracle Saturday night in Ohio, as the Cleveland City Stars stole a goal against the run of play at the last minute to secure a 2-2 draw. Both teams played well throughout the game, trading periods of possession and offense. Austin had the upper hand and a 2-1 lead for the last 30 minutes, but weren't able to put the last nail in Cleveland's coffin.

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

• box score — USLSoccer.com


• Aztex settles for draw as Cleveland scores late — Austin American-Statesman
  

  The Aztex fell just short of an inaugural road victory in USL First Division play. Cleveland trailed 2-1 with stoppage time ticking away before Ricardo Pierre-Louis, who came on in the 83rd minute, scored on a diving header to clinch the draw.

• Aztex give up stoppage time goal, still earn 2-2 tie — AustinAztex.com
  

  Pierre-Louis’ goal spoiled a grinding comeback performance from an Austin squad that once again found itself down a goal early in the match. Despite falling behind early, the Aztex (2-6-6, 12 points) eventually found a rhythm and capitalized in the 30th minute when defender Josh Alcala found room on the wing and promptly sent in a shot that found its way over the fingertips of Cleveland keeper Hunter Gilstrap to level the score.
  
  Jeff Harwell put Austin on top in the 38th minute when he found enough space in the midfield, made a nice move past his defender, then scored a goal in the lower corner at the near post past a diving Gilstrap.

The Aztex will have a re-match this Friday, July 3, as they return to Cleveland's Middlefield Cheese Stadium to face the City Stars again in regular season play.

But first, we have them back in town for a huge U.S. Open Cup match against MLS' Houston Dynamo, 7:30 PM on Wednesday, July 1. I'll have more info about that game soon, but make sure it's in your plans. It promises to be a great game, and Houston is sure to bring lots of fans with them, so we need all the red & white we can get to counter their orange.

Labels: postgame, USL-1

Believe it or not, this is only the fourth game for the Aztex to play on the road. They're heading to northern Ohio looking for some points from one of the only teams lower in the standings than they are, the Cleveland City Stars.

Cleveland was eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup in the 2nd round, losing 2-1 to the Rochester Rhinos after extra time. Since then, they've had a rough home stand, losing 2 games to Miami FC and most recently getting a 2-2 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps on Tuesday (match report / box score).

The Aztex continue to bolster their squad with loaners from MLS:

Austin will bring back the Houston Dynamo’s Erik Ustruck on a free loan, this time on a more permanent basis. Ustruck’s loan will last until the end of August, but the Dynamo will reserve the right to call the defender back if he is needed with the MLS side. Ustruck will also be unavailable for Austin’s Open Cup match against the Dynamo Wednesday. Ustruck played for Austin in last weekend’s games against Carolina and Rochester, starting on the back line in both.

Los Angeles Galaxy defender Yohance Marshall will also the Aztex on a free loan that will last a week, meaning the Trinidad & Tobago national will be available for Saturday’s game against Cleveland and Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup third round match against the Dynamo.

If nothing else, the Red & White will enjoy a break from the record-setting 100+ temperatures we've had in Austin this week. Temperatures in Cleveland will be in the mid 70s.

The game will be broadcast for free on USLLive.com (free registration required), kickoff is 6:00 PM CT. Folks from Chantico's Army are tentatively planning to meet at Cuatros to watch the game there (watch this BigSoccer thread for the latest).

After this weekend, the Aztex will return home to face the Houston Dynamo in the 3rd round of the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, July 1 at 7:30PM.

Labels: gameday, USL-1

In case you didn't notice its recent appearance, I'd like to introduce the Aztexan Store. Very simply, it sells shirts and stickers with my soccerized version of the "Come And Take It" flag.

Additionally, it sometimes carries a few soccer-related items I'm auctioning on Ebay. These are usually jerseys I got from an MLS-affiliated credit card (a program that was just cancelled, in fact). Currently there are 3 jerseys available: Chivas USA (home), Chicago Fire (away) and Columbus Crew (home, pre-Glidden-sponsorship).

A significant portion of proceeds of these sales (50% of Ebay sales, 100% of t-shirt profits) is donated to fight malaria with Nothing But Nets.

Labels: meself

It's official: winning is more fun than losing. More fun than getting a draw, too, though that's better than losing, too. But no matter how you slice it, losing is definitely the least preferable outcome.

What makes this loss extra frustrating is that the Aztex played pretty well again. Well, except for the part where they gave up 2 goals and didn't score any, of course. But they didn't stink, and they didn't get completely outplayed. They just... lost.

The attendance was pretty good, at least: breaking the 3K mark with a reported total of 3,114 fans.

The You-Had-To-Be-There Moment of the Match: My daughter and I were sitting in the center stands (the noise in the supporters' section is too much for her). Nearby, oddly enough, was a group of 8 to 10 Rochester fans. I don't know if they were vacationing in sunny Texas anyway, or if New York is closer than I thought, or what.

Anyway, the best moments of the match were their expressions whenever a couple of the Chantico's Army guys sitting in the Founders' pavilion jeered at their team. Nothing too nasty: yelling "WHO?!" when the names of their subs were announced, loudly counting to ten — boxing referee style — when a Rhino player flopped, things like that. These folks would just turn and stare in disbelief; it was hilarious. They had the last laugh, of course. But we'll take them where we can get them.

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

• box score — USLSoccer.com

  Weather: Partly cloudy, hot

• Aztex fall 2-0, stay winless in league play in June — Austin American-Statesman
  

  The Austin Aztex are attacking well and getting scoring chances but can't put the ball away.
  
  That was the story again Sunday in a 2-0 loss to Rochester. The Aztex (2-6-5, 10 points) haven't won a league game since May 29, going 0-4-2.
  
  "You have to score to win, and we're just not doing that," coach Adrian Heath said. "We have opportunities, but we're not being ruthless in front of the goal."

• Aztex squander multiple chances, fall 2-0 to Rochester — AustinAztex.com
  

  “I thought we played quite well today,” Aztex head coach Adrian Heath said. “We’ve had all the play, we’ve had all the chances and we got beat.”
  
  ... “I understand the second [goal]. We’re pushing forward trying to get an equalizer,” Heath said. “When you’re a goal down and you’re taking a few more risks than you would like to, you’re always susceptible to the counterattack.”

If it's a break the Red & White need to get back on their feet, they finally have a short one this week. 6 days! Their next game is this weekend, though it's on the road: they'll travel to Ohio for the first time, playing the Cleveland City Stars at 6:00 PM on Saturday. Hopefully DFW Airport won't be shut down the day before the game for this trip.

The next home game will be the following Wednesday, July 1, facing the Houston Dynamo in the 3rd round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Labels: postgame, USL-1

The second game of this weekend's home stand will be against the Rochester Rhinos, Sunday night at 6:00. We saw a strong showing from our boys last night against Carolina; they should come out strong for this game, confident in their ability to mount a real challenge.

The Rhinos are currently in the middle of the table, 3 points above the Aztex but with a game in hand. Rochester is coming off a 3-0 regular season loss on the road to the Cleveland City Stars (match report / box score). That was followed 3 days later by a 2-1 win, after extra time, over the City Stars at home in U.S. Open Cup play (match report / box score).

The Aztex organization has a special deal for this Father's Day game: any dad accompanied by his kid(s) gets in free.

The question we'll be looking to answer from this game is, was Friday's solid performance against a league-leading Carolina Railhawks side the sign of a new leaf being turned over for Austin? Are they getting a leg up (pun intended, sorry) on some of the injury issues?

After Sunday's match, the Aztex have two weekends in a row on the road at Cleveland (Sat. June 27 & Fri. July 3). The next game here in town will be right between those, when they return to face MLS powerhouse Houston Dynamo in the 3rd round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, July 1.

We're approaching the part of the Aztex's 2009 schedule where the team will be on the road most of the time. Of 18 remaining games in the regular season, just 6 (including this one) will be played in Austin.

Remember the early, 6:00 kickoff time for Sunday, and bring the kids to get in free. It should be a great night, see you there!

Labels: gameday, USL-1

Wow, what a game. The Aztex played better against the Railhawks last night than we've seen them play in some time. They had possession, their passes were connecting well despite the gusty wind, and at times they were crashing over the Carolina defense like waves on a beach. The 2,629 fans in attendance were given an exciting 90 minutes.

All of which, though very heartening to Austin fans still hoping our team will be contenders this season, makes the end result that much more disappointing. The Red & White should have won that game last night. They should have put it away by at least one goal, and the Railhawks must have been relieved when that final whistle finally blew.

If you ever wanted an example for the phrase, "stole a point on the road", you could hardly find a better one than what Carolina did last night at Nelson Field.

The You-Had-To-Be-There Moment of the Match: Seeing these 2 little kids try to spin a giant, heavy wooden ratchet noisemaker (something much like this one) that some guy let them borrow. The thing was as long as their forearms, and looked like it weighed 5 lbs. Frankly I'm not sure I could have done much better. Regardless, they worked on that thing through most of the second half. The other good thing was that they didn't brain each other with it (or take out my knee; I was standing up on the bench right next to them).

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

• box score — USLSoccer.com
  

  Weather: Mostly cloudy, hot

• Aztex draw against Carolina, 1-1 — Austin American-Statesman
  

  The Aztex answered by pushing deep into Carolina's end of the field and generating multiple scoring chances. The Aztex had 10 corner kicks — Carolina had none. Johnson's goal came on a crossing pass from Mike Callahan. Johnson got just enough on the shot to get it past Carolina goalkeeper Eric Reed's fingertips.
  
  Austin had one last prime scoring chance in the 83rd minute, when Johnson fed Kyle Brown for a direct header, but Reed was in perfect position for the save.

• Aztex dominate RailHawks, settle for 1-1 draw — AustinAztex.com
  

  “We’ve won this season and I haven’t been as pleased as I am tonight,” Heath said.
  
  Maybe why Heath is so pleased with leaving two points on the field was the play of his new recruits. Heath brought in three MLS players this week on short-term loans: [Mike] Chabala and Erik Ustruck of Houston and Real Salt Lake’s David Horst.
  
  The three came in late in the week, giving them only one full practice with the team, yet they still managed to fit right in.
  
  “They came in and it was seamless,” Heath said of the new faces. “It was like they’ve been playing with us all season. That’s the biggest compliment I can give them.”

Next up for our home team is game against the Rochester Rhinos at 6:00 PM this Sunday, June 21, Fathers' Day. (I'll have another post later today or tomorrow, previewing that match in more detail.)

Labels: postgame, USL-1

The Aztex host the Carolina Railhawks' 2nd trip to Austin on Friday, June 19 at Nelson Field. Their last visit was on the rainy night of May 24th, a game which the Railhawks won 1-0, on a "ludicrous" handball penalty.

The Railhawks are currently 2nd in the league, with a 7-3-2 record. Their last league game was a 2-0 loss on the road to last-place Minnesota Thunder (match report / box score).

More recently, they were knocked out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday at home by the USL-2's Wilmington Hammerheads (match report / box score). I for one am hoping we can get a "Sharkbait hoo-ha-ha" chant (a la Finding Nemo) going Friday night in honor of the loss.

Still struggling with injury issues, the Aztex roster will be bolstered by 3 players on loan from the Houston Dynamo: goalkeeper Tyler Deric, defender Mike Chabala and midfielder Erik Ustruck. They sure need something to help them start collecting some points:

Austin (2-5-4) enters the weekend with 10 points from 11 games and in eighth place in the USL-1. After defeating Puerto Rico 3-1 on May 29, the Aztex have gone 0-3-1 since and have been outscored 9-2...

Match Forecast

Temp:	upper 80s
Rain:	10%
Wind:	12mph
Sunset:	8:35

as of 9:00 AM, 6/18/09

The Aztex have allowed the second most goals in the league (18) and have only one shutout, tied for the fewest in the USL-1, and their defense took a hit last week. Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo suffered a leg injury during the Aztex 2-0 loss to Miami on Sunday and is out indefinitely.

The Aztex also lost A.J. Godbolt and Yordany Alvarez during pre-game warm-ups on Tuesday. Alvarez leads the Aztex in points (three goals, two assists).

Kickoff time for Friday's match will be 7:30 PM, which puts the time for pregame supporter gathering & fortification at Nomad Bar starting at about 5:00.

This will be the first game of yet another 2-game weekend: Austin face the mid-table Rochester Rhinos on Sunday night at 6:00. This will be the first time this season the two teams face each other.

Labels: gameday, USL-1

It wasn't always pretty and it wasn't without its cost, but the Aztex got the win last night over the El Paso Patriots. They've advanced to the 3rd round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and will face the Houston Dynamo, here in Austin at Nelson Field, on July 1.

(Regarding that date: the date original announced for the 3rd round was June 30. But in an apparent concession to Houston, who plays the Galaxy in Los Angeles on the 28th, this match was moved to July 1.)

Here's a rundown of post-match coverage:

• match report — USOpenCup.com


• Aztex beat El Paso 2-0 — Austin American-Statesman
  

  Austin lost starting goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo-Aparicio in Friday's loss to Puerto Rico. He suffered a broken leg that will keep him out for at least six weeks. Also out of the lineup Tuesday were forwards Jarius Holmes (knee) and Gifton Noel-Williams (hamstring), midfielders Yordany Alvarez (ankle) and A.J. Godbolt (hamstring) and defenseman Kieron Bernard (hamstring). Alvarez might have a fracture, Heath said, suffered during warm-ups.

  "Defenseman"?


• Aztex overcome injuries, altercation; defeat El Paso 2-0 — AustinAztex.com
  

  The game played out plainly after that until an incident in the El Paso box resulted in multiple cards. Sullivan Silva attempted a bicycle kick in the 73rd minute with players around him that led to a shoving match with El Paso defenders.
  
  Eventually, players from both sides got involved in the scrap. When the dust settled, Silva, El Paso’s Muniz and defender Mario Garcia all earned red cards. Austin’s Wes Allen earned a yellow.
  
  The tension continued when a late tackle from El Paso’s Jonathan Camarena on Jeff Harwell earned him a red card in the 77th minute.

After this game, the boys have a luxurious 2 days off before they face the Carolina Railhawks here at home, Friday night at 7:30.

Labels: U.S. Open Cup, USL-1

The busy June is going strong for the Aztex. Tonight (Tuesday, June 16), they host the El Paso Patriots of the PDL in the 2nd round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

As it happens, Austin's own PDL squad, the Aztex U23s, were just in El Paso last weekend, where they beat the Patriots 2-0 (box score). That puts the Aztex U23s at the top of their division table, but El Paso is right behind them.

The Aztex USL side need a win not only to advance in the Cup competition, but also to regain some much-needed confidence after a rough weekend:

“We have got a problem with injuries, but they’ve come to people who I think are important,” Heath said. “They’re the backbone of our team. They bring a lot of physical presence and mental strength.”

Even with the problems of the weekend, Heath said he still saw a positive. Reserve keeper Sam Reynolds stepped into the net to replace Gallardo after his injury, and for the most part impressed Heath.

The 3rd round of the Open Cup is where the 8 MLS teams enter the competition, and the possible pairings have already been drawn. The winner of tonight's match will face the very tough, very hot Houston Dynamo. The Dynamo, at the top of the MLS West table, haven't lost a game since April 4, and are currently on a 5-game winning streak.

Even before the rash of injuries and roster issues that has plagued them, it was clear back when the Open Cup dates were first announced that June would be a rough ride for the Aztex. That has been the case, and it's not over yet: they'll play another Friday/Sunday weekend this week (against Carolina and Rochester, respectively), then head back out on the road for 3 games in 9 days.

Kickoff tonight is at 7:30, which puts the prematch supporters gathering at Nomad Bar starting around 5:00. Tickets are just $15 ($10 for kids). Come on out and join us - your Aztex need you!

Labels: gameday, U-23, U.S. Open Cup, USL-1

Not good results from the weekend's road games. Not good at all: the Red & White lost 2 games and 1 goalkeeper.

On Friday night, after a long and difficult trip to the Caribbean, they lost to the Puerto Rico Islanders, 4-1 (box score).

• Aztex fall in Puerto Rico — Austin American-Statesman
  

  The Aztex came out a different team in the second half — Gallardo was replaced by Sam Reynolds, and offensive attackers Sullivan Silva and Kyle Brown came in. But the changes didn't provide an offensive spark, and Arrieta scored again on a second penalty kick following a handball in the box by Austin's A.J. Godbolt.

• Aztex suffer 4-1 loss in Puerto Rico — AustinAztex.com
  

  Deep into stoppage time, Austin midfielder Jean Alexandre, who is on his second loan from Real Salt Lake in the last couple weeks, made a highlight reel goal when he collected a pass just past the center circle, settled the ball then fired from 35 yards out. The ball sailed past several Puerto Rico defenders and goalkeeper Bill Gaudette into the top right of the net and gave the Aztex a much-needed boost heading into the half.

• Aztex keeper Miguel Gallardo seriously injures leg, out indefinitely — AustinAztex.com
  

  Gallardo suffered the injury in the 13th minute of the contest Friday night when he challenged a charging Islanders attacker on the edge of the 18-yard box. Because of his precarious position on the field, when Gallardo attempted to kick the ball away he collided violently with the Puerto Rico player.

Then on Sunday, back in the mainland U.S., they were handily beaten by Miami FC, 2-0 (box score).

• Miami FC shuts out Aztex — Austin American-Statesman
  

  The Austin Aztex continued their road troubles Sunday night, falling behind early against the Miami FC Blues in a 2-0 loss. The Aztex are winless away from home in three tries and have scored only one goal.

• Aztex continue road struggles and fall 2-0 to Miami FC — AustinAztex.com
  

  The Aztex offense failed to threaten the Miami back line throughout most of the game. Austin’s first shot on goal came deep in the second half when clever footwork from Jean Alexandre, with the Aztex on a short-term loan from Real Salt Lake, broke down the Miami defense. But an outstretched Patrick Hannigan stopped the chance and all but sealed the Blues’ home win.

The Aztex are back in Austin for three more games this week. Tuesday night at 7:30 they'll host the PDL's El Paso Patriots in the 2nd round of the U.S. Open Cup. Then it's another busy weekend: the Carolina Railhawks on Friday, for the second time this season (Austin lost 1-0 the first time), and the Rochester Rhinos for the first meeting of the season, on Sunday.

And hopefully, some positive results out of those matches.

Labels: players, postgame, USL-1

The Aztex head out on the road this weekend for another Friday/Sunday weekend. The first stop will be Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium, where they'll face the 4th-place Puerto Rico Islanders on Friday (June 12). That game will be nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel; kickoff is 7:00 PM CT. The Austin Aztex FC is hosting a watch party at Cuatros on 24th Street, where the game will be shown on the "Cuatron", the giant wall-sized TV made up of smaller TVs.

The Islanders are coming off a double-header weekend at home last weekend against a team with one of the worst records in the league, the Cleveland City Stars. The Islanders were able to win one 2-1 (box score) but only tied the other (box score). The last time the Aztex faced Puerto Rico was here at Nelson, a game the home team won, 3-1.

Sunday's game will be against Miami FC, the first time these two teams have faced each other. The Blues are struggling at the bottom of the standings, though they've only played 7 games so far, compared to 9 to 11 for other teams. In fact, aside from narrowly getting a 2-1 win over amateur side Lynch's Irish Pub FC in Open Cup play on Tuesday, Miami will not have played a league match in more than three weeks. That game, on May 23, was a nil-nil draw with the Minnesota Thunder, in Minnesota (match report / box score).

Though they'll still be missing striker Noel-Williams to injury and midfielder Alex Tapp is unable to travel due to visa issues, the Aztex will have some reinforcements:

The roster has been bolstered thanks to the return of Real Salt Lake’s Jean Alexandre to the roster. Alexandre was brought to the team for the Aztex’s last game against Puerto Rico on a short-term free loan. Alexandre’s new loan will run through the Miami game and is again free, meaning bringing him back to Austin is just a matter of paperwork.

“It’s tough,” Alexandre said after his first game with the Aztex. “They’re going through a bad stretch right now. That happens to every team. ... It’s better it happens early instead of later in the season.”

Alexandre’s return won’t be the only addition to the team since the Montreal trip. Colorado Rapids midfielder Ciaran O’Brien was brought in on a free loan for the remainder of the season and Jeff Harwell is turning heads after being called up from the U23 squad. Kyle Helton was also called up, but was brought back down Wednesday since the U23 team is having their own injury issues.

The Red & White, though not quite in the cellar, are still struggling in the middle of the table, and could definitely use some points from this trip. They'll return to Austin on Tuesday to face the El Paso Patriots in the 2nd round of the U.S. Open Cup, followed by the last league home game for a while, the Carolina Railhawks next Friday, June 19.

Update 10:30AM: due to severe weather in Dallas yesterday, the team's having a heck of a time getting to Puerto Rico.

Labels: gameday, USL-1

It was a good game last night, probably closer than it should have been. The Mississippi Brilla had some good players who showed some skill, and for some stretches the Aztex didn't seem fully engaged and let the ball slip away.

But they pulled it out with a solid win 2-0, and will advance to the second round. That game will be next Tuesday, June 16, here at home. The opponent will be the El Paso Patriots, PDL rivals of the U23s in the Mid South Division. (In fact, the U23s will play them in El Paso this Saturday.) The Patriots beat the Arizona Sahuaros of the USASA last night, 2-1, to advance out of the first round.

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

• Austin Aztex (USL-1) 2:0 Mississippi Brilla (PDL) — USOpenCup.com
  Includes lineups & stats


• Harwell hits opening goal as Aztex shut out Brilla — Austin American-Statesman
  

  Jeff Harwell scored a first-half goal and assisted on Eddie Johnson's second-half score as the Austin Aztex beat the Mississippi Brilla 2-0 on Tuesday night to win their first U.S. Open Cup game and advance to next week's second round.
  
  With the Aztex fielding a mostly back-up team as they navigate a congested part of their schedule, Harwell — a diminutive and dynamic winger who started the season on Austin's U-23 development side — has benefited more than most from the team's injury-plagued season. He is cementing his place on the professional team with strikes like Tuesday night's game-winner.

• Harwell leads Aztex to 2-0 victory in U.S. Open Cup first round — AustinAztex.com
  

  While Harwell impressed, Heath seemed even more pleased the Aztex were able to sit a bulk of its regular players. Backup goalkeeper Sam Reynolds took the net for Austin for his first action of the season. Reserves Wes Allen, Alex Tapp and Kyle Helton all started the game.
  
  “We needed the rest,” Heath said. “We’ve managed to get [a] game to those who needed it.”

Next up, the Aztex hit the road. They're headed to Puerto Rico to play the Islanders on Friday night (that game will be televised on Fox Soccer Channel), then to Florida to play Miami FC. We'll see them again in Austin next Tuesday for U.S. Open Cup round 2, against the El Paso Patriots. Welcome to schedule crunch time!

Labels: postgame, U.S. Open Cup, USL-1

Tonight sees the start of the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the oldest annual team tournament in U.S. sports history, dating from 1914. First round games are being played all over the country today (see the full bracket). Though the Aztex U23s failed to qualify from the PDL, the USL-1 Aztex, like all U.S. USL-1 teams, automatically qualify.

Tonight we host the Mississippi Brilla, of the PDL. Last year they were rivals of the Aztex U23s in the Midsouth Division, but with the addition this year of Texas expansion teams West Texas United and Rio Grande Valley, the Brilla and the New Orleans Jesters (formerly the Shell Shockers) were moved to the Southeast Division.

Currently, the Brilla are virtually tied for first place in their division, having the exact same 4-1-2 record as the Bradenton Academics, but slightly worse off on goal differential (+10 vs +14). Mississippi is coming off a 1-1 draw at home against the Panama City Pirates (match report / box score).

Despite the glut of league games this month — the 2 against Charleston Battery last weekend, the 2 on the road this coming weekend, etc. — it seems that Aztex head coach Adrian Heath intends to take the tournament seriously:

“The Cup competitions in England and Europe mean so much to the clubs and to the supporters,” Heath said. “[Here,] maybe they approach the game differently. ... I just think one or two might take it a bit more seriously.”

As with any open cup competition, the possibility of an upset is a major theme. Mississippi will be coming into town, having fought hard to secure their spot, hoping to knock out the higher-level competitor. That's how the Aztex U23s were last June, when they earned their shot at the cup, losing on penalties to the now-defunct Atlanta Silverbacks. (We saw a big, skilled striker from Atlanta that night at Dragon Stadium: New York Red Bull Mac Kandji.)

Tickets for tonight's game are just $15, $10 for kids 12 & under. Kickoff is at 7:30, so the pre-match fan gathering at the Nomad will start at 5:00. If you're in Austin, you should come out and bolster the midweek home crowd; it's bound to be a great game. If you can't make it to the game, it will be shown live (and free, as always) on USLLive.com. You can also follow along on USOpenCup.com's scoreboard page (or, apparently, on my Twitter feed; I just noticed they have that listed there too!).

Labels: gameday, U.S. Open Cup, USL-1

That's more like it. I don't know if Charleston was sitting back somewhat after Friday's romp, or if someone spiked the Aztex players' Wheaties stash, or what, but that was an entirely different game than the first one. And the 2,891 fans on hand Friday night were glad to see it.

Just think how Austin would have done if they hadn't had to play the entire match a man down! Because that's the way it went: Michael Callahan got a straight red for a studs-up tackle in the 2nd minute. Not exactly getting off on the right foot, if you'll pardon the unpardonable pun.

But as somehow amazingly happens to teams when they've suffered an ejection, Austin rose to the challenge, to the point that one sometimes forgot they were short handed at all.

It's hard to be very excited when your team gets a draw (take it from us, this is our fourth 1-1 result of the season), but playing a man down against a tough opponent 2 days after getting your butts handed to you by that same team? We'll take that point.

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

• box score — USLSoccer.com
  

  Weather: Hot, sunny

• Aztex tie league leaders — Austin American-Statesman
  

  Two days after putting in a performance that ranked among the worst in Austin's brief history against the Battery, the Aztex earned their most impressive point of the year in Sunday's rematch at Nelson Field, tying Charleston 1-1.
  
  The home side staged an improbable second-half comeback after playing a man down for 88 minutes, following Michael Callahan's second-minute red card.

• Aztex earn 1-1 draw with 10-man squad — AustinAztex.com
  

  Austin goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo initially saved a one-on-one opportunity with a Charleston attacker, and the rebound fell to Charleston’s Kenji Treschuk. A whistle was heard, but it came from a fan in the stands and not the referee, causing the players on the field to stop. Treschuk continued playing and netted the goal, sending the Battery up 1-0 and several Austin players to the referee for questions.
  
  “I heard a whistle and everyone stopped,” Gallardo, the main Aztex player arguing the call, said. “It’s not the ref’s fault but I was just so frustrated. We were playing so well.”
  
  ...Even with the debate around the goal, Heath felt his defense should have grabbed the loose ball.
  
  “I thought it was a soft goal,” Heath said. “It’s the sort of goal we should deal with."

• The "Butterfly Effect", aka "The Whistle that Lost the Match" — ChanticosArmy.com
  

  "THANKS A LOT FOR COSTING THE AZTEX 2 POINTS!!!!"

Next up: the Aztex host a former PDL rival, Mississippi Brilla, in a first round U.S. Open Cup game Tuesday night, June 9. Kickoff is 7:30 at Nelson Field, tickets are just $15, $10 for kids 12 & under.

Labels: postgame, USL-1

The news came out this week that Austin Aztex FC and the University of Texas will jointly host an exhibition match featuring 2 premier Mexican pro soccer teams, dubbed the "State Farm Copa Aztex". The deal is to last for several years, making this an annual event. The teams announced for this first year's matchup on July 18 are Cruz Azul and Tigres UANL.

News 8 Austin has a short video clip from the press conference.

The games will be played at the home of UT's womens' soccer program, Mike A. Myers stadium. Seating 20,000, and marred by a big track around the pitch, the facility features a beautiful natural grass field. Many believe grass fields cannot exist in Texas, but apparently UT has the know-how and/or big bucks to keep it up.

Tickets are priced at $30 or $50, and go on sale Monday, June 8. I haven't seen exactly what the $20 difference gets you, presumably closer to the middle of the field. The event will also feature "Univision Radio presenta El Golazo Musical", a pre-game festival featuring food, giveaways, a beer garden and live music. That starts at 4:00; the game kicks off at 7:00.

As the Aztex and UT say in their press releases, this will be a big event that will boost soccer's profile in Austin, especially among Mexican fans. (Hopefully Cruz Azul and Tigres fans are loyal enough to turn out for this, even though both teams fared poorly in the just-finished Primera División Clausura.) But for myself, as a fan primarily of American soccer, this match isn't for me.

If nothing else, I wish some actual Aztex would play in Copa Aztex. Even a pre-game scrimmage between the Aztex U23s and the reserves of one of the Mexican teams (the USL-1 team will be in Minnesota playing the Thunder that night) would tie it more to the hometown team. Without anything like that, it seems at first glance that the team has little more to do with the event than the other title sponsor, State Farm Insurance. Of course, I know they had much more to do with it than that, using and building their soccer relationships with first division Mexican clubs to put the whole thing together. I hope the event is a big success, and gets lots of publicity. I also hope that future Copa Aztexes include more of the Aztex FC than the name and the front office.

Labels: exhibition, internacional, UT

This is the result you get when the other team just plays better than you do. That's what the Charleston Battery did at Nelson Field on Friday, they simply outplayed the Aztex for the better part of the game.

It was a face-off of vertical stripes: red-and-white vs. black-and-yellow. When the black-and-yellow jerseys had speed and pace, the red-and-white had less. Where the black-and-yellow placed crisp, precise passes to other black-and-yellows, the red-and-whites also placed crisp, precise passes to black-and-yellows. And of course, where the black-and-yellow slipped two solid goals into the back of the net, the red-and-white had none to answer.

If that's the team Charleston puts out every game, it's not hard to see why they're undefeated on the season.

The You-Had-To-Be-There Moment of the Match: When the blazing sun was finally eclipsed by a low bank of clouds. The relief to both the temperature and the brightness was dramatic. If nothing else, it will make us appreciate the shady side of the pitch all the more.

And I have to ask, what was the deal with that halftime? It featured a game of girls' frisbee football. The young women were in team uniforms, so I guess this activity is an organized league of some kind. It seemed to be somewhat like American football or rugby, but played with a frisbee instead. Hey ladies: you know what sport is fun, popular, perfectly good for females to play and appreciated by fans at a pro soccer game? SOCCER.

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

• box score — USLSoccer.com
  

  Weather: Hot, sunny

• Aztex shut out by first-place Battery — Austin American-Statesman
  

  A lackadaisical start from both sides under oppressive heat that drove most fans under the stands until after kickoff gave way to a quick Charleston lead. The Battery's Tyler Hemming slid a perfect through ball to the sprinting Darren Spicer across the Austin box in the 12th minute, leaving the forward with the task of beating goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo from 10 yards out.
  
  Behind the tireless legs of the recently returned Eddie Johnson, who missed three games with work permit issues, Austin's comeback attempt had effort but little ingenuity. Aside from an audacious chip attempt from 25 yards out with the first half winding down, the English forward was little more than a spectator, hopelessly chasing lost causes as teammates gave the ball away with abandon.

• Aztex suffer tough loss to Charleston Battery — AustinAztex.com
  

  "The nature of the defeat was more disappointing. We looked like a young team playing against a group of men."
  
  ..."At no stage in the evening did I think we would win tonight," Heath said. "That's probably the first time I can say that. Even in the other games, I thought we could get a goal. . . I thought they were good, but I thought we were poor."

Next up for the Aztex: an immediate rematch and chance for revenge. The Battery are still in town, and will be at Nelson Field again today, Sunday, June 7. Their win Friday night puts them at the top of the standings, while Austin continues to slip down, holding just 9 points after 8 games.

Kickoff tonight is at 6:00. I hope you'll be there, but even more than that, I hope the Aztex will be there.

Labels: gameday, postgame, USL-1

The Aztex start a game-packed June on Friday night, hosting the Charleston Battery at Nelson Field at 7:00. It's the first of 3 home games in 5 days: they'll play Charleston again on Sunday, and start their 2009 U.S. Open Cup qualifying against the PDL's Mississippi Brilla on Tuesday.

The still-undefeated Battery, chasing the Carolina Railhawks at the top of the standings, are coming off their own 3-game home stand. They've made the most of those last three matches, not just winning them all, but getting shutouts in each as well. The most recent of those was a 2-0 defeat of Cleveland City Stars (match report / box score).

The Aztex lineup, though still missing Noel-Williams and Silva to injury, will get some reinforcements this weekend:

Ciaran O'Brien was acquired earlier in the week on loan from the Colorado Rapids while the U23 squad has produced Kyle Helton and Jerry Harwell, both now with the pro team.

Harwell in particular has shined when given his chance on the field. In his USL-1 debut last Friday, Harwell tallied an assist to Yordany Alvarez and proved effective in the midfield, impressing the coaches.

"That’s what people have got to do," Heath said. "Jeff Harwell will play on Friday and his performance [last Friday] got him that position. That is the same for everybody else."

The Aztex roster will see some familiar faces return to help with the upcoming schedule. Eddie Johnson and Gareth Evans have both returned from England after getting their respective work permits approved. Both will be available to play in Friday’s game against Charleston.

This will be the second (and final) Aztex home game to be televised nationally on Fox Soccer Channel. The broadcaster must not have liked their angle after the first match they broadcast, judging by this statement from the Aztex:

Due to requirements of Fox Soccer Channel for the national television broadcast on June 5, all fan seating will be moved from the west side to the east side of Nelson Field.

As a token of our appreciation and understanding, all Aztex fans attending the game will receive a 50% off voucher for the June 7 game. Fans who have already purchased a ticket can exchange it for one of equal value and are encouraged to call the Aztex ticket office to make the exchange in advance of the game to avoid possible delays on gameday.

While the west side parking lot will be used, fans will enter the stadium through the east side gates.

Kickoff will be at 7:00 for this one, so Chantico's Army invites supporters to join them before the match at Nomad Bar, starting at 4:30. And if you'd like to get together with fans (and the Aztex themselves, sometimes) after the game, Cuatros on 24th is the place to be.

Believe it or not, we're nearing the halfway point in the number of Aztex home games. After these 3 games, there will be just 6 more regular season USL-1 home games. And given the opponent, you won't want to miss what should prove to be a great match. Will the Red & White be able to snap the Battery's unbeaten strike? Come to Nelson on Friday evening and see for yourself!

And then rest up on Saturday, because no matter the result, we get a rematch on Sunday evening.

Labels: gameday, USL-1