Austin Aztex's Randi Patterson
photo: Eric Flexyourhead on Flickr

Another nail-biter; another point for the Aztex. Despite a few handicaps, our Austin team put up a heck of a fight, and didn’t come up empty-handed for their trouble.

My two cents:

  • Yay for Mister Tramps! We moved watch parties from Cuatro’s to this pub on 183 for a few reasons. We already knew it well it from its association with Austin’s American Outlaws chapter and the Free Beer Movement. But we were also fleeing increasingly poor service and increasingly throwball-centric clientele. Two watch events in, I’m happy to report that Mister Tramps is treating us right. We get the room with the big screen (and the soccer-pitch-painted floor) all to ourselves, and they even have a laptop there ready to plug in for our video streams. Waitstaff has been fast and attentive and prices aren’t bad. Keep up the good work, Trampers! (And you better shape up, Taverners . . .)

  • Yay for Vancouver’s video server! Sure it was kind of pixelated and blocky on that giant screen, but there wasn’t a “buffering…” message in sight all game! It was like a live broadcast! I wonder if they can spare a couple of their gerbils to go run on the wheel in Portland’s server room.

  • Cheers to Coach Heath, caught for a moment on video cruising the beer garden at halftime.

  • The good news is, we had a new fan join us at the watch party. The bad news is, he was so thoroughly blitzed that he’s surely forgotten the entire evening.

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

  • box score — USSF

  • It’s ‘painful’ says coach, as Caps twice blow leads — The Vancouver Sun

    Caps forward Cornelius Stewart opened the scoring in the 16th minute when he ran down a Martin Nash pass/clearance, broke through the Aztex defence and beat Austin keeper Miguel Gallardo with a low 20-yard strike.

    The speedy 20-year-old St. Vincent & Grenadines international nearly scored again just six minutes later when Gallardo mishandled a high ball and was forced to make a quick reaction save off Stewart from close range.

  • Fulltime: Whitecaps 2 Aztex 2 — The Province

    Caps’ forward Ridge Mobulu, one of 10 players signed since Vancouver last played at home on July 25, produced a dazzling goal in the 52nd minute to again pull the home side ahead.

    Stewart sprung Mobulu on the left side and the Swiss-born 19-year-old dribbled around goalkeeper Gallardo before stopping dead on the end line, outwaiting defender Leonard Griffin on the post and chipping the ball in.

  • Aztex Inch Closer to First Place With Draw — AustinAztex.com

    Two minutes after trotting onto the field in the 78th minute, Eddie Johnson snapped a header into the Vancouver Whitecaps goal to send the Austin Aztex home with a 2-2 draw at Swangard Stadium, giving Austin at least one point against every team in the USSF D-2 Pro League.

  • Video: Austin Aztex @ Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Highlights (6:32) — VancouverWhitecapsFC on YouTube

Pro soccer returns to Austin on Saturday evening, Sep. 4, when the Aztex host the NSC Minnesota Stars at House Park at 7:30. Start Labor Day weekend right, spend it with the red & white!