The Aztexan

The Aztex bagged an impressive win last night at the RRISD Athletic Complex, beating Mexico's first-division contenders Monterrey 1-0.

Though just an exhibition match, the win is significant. For one, it ends 2009 play in Austin on a high note. The fact that it was earned from a good, in-form Mexican pro team, adds to the victory. It's also a nice result to have in their pocket as they head to England next week - much better than a 2-0 loss to a PDL club.

However, I find the attendance troubling. At 1,930, it would rank as the second worst regular season crowd this year. It also compares poorly to last year's Aztex-Mexican match-up. When Tigres came out to Dragon Stadium — to play an Aztex U23 squad — they drew 4,743 fans. Lastly, there's this year's Copa Aztex match between Cruz Azul and Tigres. The official attendance, though widely considered to be underreported, was still in excess of 7,000.

So I'm not sure what happened with this game. Ticket prices were cut from $30 to $25 not long after they went on sale, and additional sales outlets (La Moreliana markets) were added.

Was it just timing, that it took place on a weeknight after school is back in session? Was it poor marketing? Presumably it would have been marketed heavily to Mexican fans, but not being in that demographic, I have no idea what level of publicity it got there. I can say that a coworker who plays in AMSA (Austin Men's Soccer Association) told me that, unlike other Aztex events, he hadn't heard anything about this game.

Were fans put off by the Aztex's losing form this season? Are there just not that many Rayados fans in Austin? Or did they all decide to drive to Houston for Monterrey's exhibition against the Dynamo on Sunday? Is there some kind of Bermuda Triangle on Parmer Lane?

Here's a rundown of other post-match coverage (the match did get some coverage in the Mexican press, at least):

• Austin Aztex 1-0 Monterrey... Triunfo texano — mediotiempo.com
  

  La Pandilla utilizó un equipo alterno ante las ausencias de Walter Ayoví, Humberto Suazo y Osvaldo Martínez, pretendiendo poner en forma a jugadores con poca actividad en la liga.
  
  Pero eso no le impidió ser dueño del esférico de principio a fin del cotejo, aunque sin cohesión con su zona delantera para alcanzar al menos el empate 1-1.

• Aztex score early, hold off Club de Futbol Monterrey for 1-0 win — AustinAztex.com
  

  It didn’t take long. Just seven minutes into Wednesday night’s exhibition match against Club de Futbol Monterrey and Austin Aztex midfielder Jean Alexandre found the back of the net. Despite numerous opportunities in both halves, Monterrey never countered with a goal of its own and the Aztex held on for a hard-earned 1-0 victory.

• Exhibition Match :: Austin Aztex 1, Club de Futbol Monterrey 0 — Chantico's Army

  In front of a crowd that was 95% in support of the blue and white, the Aztex really impressed all (well, okay, maybe not all) in attendance. The Aztex' Jean Alexandre (on a loan from Real Salt Lake which has been extended through the trip to the UK) took advantage of an early Monterrey defensive failure to punch the ball into the goal in the 8'.

Next up for Austin is that big trip to England, where they'll have exhibition matches against Stoke City, Sheffield Wednesday and Accrington Stanley.

Labels: exhibition, postgame, Rayados, USL-1

I mentioned this last week, but don't forget: there's one last chance to see the Aztex play in Austin this year. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, they will host Monterrey's Rayados, of Mexico's Primera División.

Monterrey is doing well in the current Apertura season. They are 2nd overall, with 23 points from 11 games (7-2-2). Most recently, they beat Puebla 2-1 at home. As MLSNet.com notes, that game saw two former FC Dallas players face off: Rayados' Duilio Davino and Puebla's Carlos Ruiz.

Kickoff for the Aztex game will be 7:30 PM, at the Round Rock ISD Athletic Complex (aka "The Palace") at 10211 Parmer Lane (map). Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for kids, and are available online as well as from the Aztex office, both Soccer USA locations and all 3 La Moreliana markets.

The Chantico's Army folks will meet at the main gate about 6:30, and will probably gather at Mister Tramps for the customary post-match pint.

Labels: exhibition, Rayados, USL-1

Though the 2009 regular season is finished for them, the Aztex are still going strong. A number of players and other individuals were honored at a recent post-season awards banquet, and the team is still looking forward to a few bigger-than-usual exhibition games.

First, the awards:

• Yordany Alvarez — Fans' Player of Year


• Miguel Gallardo — Chantico's Army's Player of Year (more info)


• Eddie Johnson — Players' Player of Year


• Michael Callahan — Clubman of Year


• Ignacio "Nacho" Araujo (Univision Radio) — President's Award

Additionally, Eddie Johnson was just named to the All-League Second Team. (Presumably the First Team won't be selected until after the league final.)

There's a distinct international flavor to the slate of post-season exhibitions the Aztex booked this year. They've already played the first, a 2-0 loss to the Victoria Highlanders in British Columbia the week before last. So much for the Canadians.

Next up, our neighbors across the other border. The Aztex will host CF Monterrey, their partners from Mexico's Primera División, next week. Aztex president Rawlins:

“We’re delighted to bring in Rayados for the exhibition match on October 7. It will be a great challenge for our players to compete against one of the top Mexican teams. It’s also an opportunity for our fans to come out and enjoy top-level professional soccer in Austin one more time this year at a state-of-the-art facility that will provide fans with a great soccer viewing experience.”

Rayados ("the striped ones"), as Monterrey is popularly known, are indeed one of the top Mexican teams this year. They are 2nd overall in the current Apertura, with 23 points from 10 games (7-2-1).

The match will be held at the Round Rock ISD Athletic Complex (aka The Palace) at 10211 Parmer Lane (map). Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for kids, and are available online as well as from the Aztex office, both Soccer USA locations and all 3 La Moreliana markets.

Then, having pretty much played out this continent, the Austin squad will head overseas, to England. There they'll play exhibitions against 2 Premier League teams: sister club Stoke City FC (naturally)and newly-promoted Burnley FC as well.

The first match, against Stoke, will be on Wed., Oct. 14 at Nantwich Town’s Weaver Stadium. I don't know why they're not playing at Stoke's fabled Britannia Stadium. Though while nobody here has ever heard of Nantwich Town, at least it won't be frickin' astroturf covered with frickin' bright white throwball lines.

After almost a week of training at Stoke City's facilities and driving on the wrong side of the road, they'll face Burnley FC on Tues., Oct. 20. That match will take place at Burnley's home ground of Turf Moor, where they've played since 1883. (Eights, people; those are eights. Not nines. 1883. As in, shortly after electric lights started to catch on. As in, 30 - 40 years before Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, etc.) [Schedule change; see update below.]

Coach Heath on the trip:

“For our players it’s a fantastic opportunity to pit themselves against players who play in the Premier League week in, week out,” said Heath. “The thing I’m looking forward to is for them to see the intensity that the game is played over there and to give them an understanding about some of the things I’ve been talking about this year, they’ll see it first hand.”

Rawlins also called the trip something that the players will remember for the rest of their lives. He didn't say, but I expect a lot of people are thinking, that if any of them are able to impress someone in England, that it might be even more than that.

Rumors that the Aztex will continue playing exhibitions indefinitely after they leave England, traveling to Timbuktu, Siberia and Jupiter's moon Ganymede, have not been confirmed at this time.

Update, 10/2: the England schedule has changed. The game against Burnley has been cancelled (no reason given), and 2 more matches against lower-level clubs have been added. The first will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 15, the day after the Stoke match, against League Two side Accrington Stanley at that club's Crown Ground. All proceeds from that match will go to help keep that struggling club afloat, via the Save Our Stanley (S.O.S.) campaign. The following Tuesday, Oct. 20, Austin will take on Championship side Sheffield Wednesday at that club's training grounds. Wednesday are currently in the middle of the table, with 13 points from 10 games (3-4-3).

Labels: exhibition, internacional, Rayados, Stoke City, USL-1

The Austin Aztex FC have announced a new partnership with Mexican Primera División (first division) team Club de Fútbol Monterrey. Monterrey is commonly known as Rayados, "the striped ones", due to their blue and white striped kit.

A summary of the alliance between the two clubs:

• Players: Aztex FC will scout Central & Southern Texas for talent for Monterrey, and be a feeder club for them. Aztex players may be loaned to Rayados, and Monterrey will provide up to 2 players to the Aztex


• Travel: Monterrey will come to Austin to play exhibition games, and the Aztex will be able to go to Monterrey for pre-season training. Also, an Austin-area youth team will be hosted by Monterrey for a week each year


• Knowledge: in addition to sharing "best practices", Rayados coaches will participate in Aztex summer soccer camps, and Aztex coaches will have the opportunity to go to Monterrey and "shadow" their coaches for a week each year

Aztex FC worked with Monterrey earlier this year, when they hosted a round of youth friendlies in Austin which included the Stoke City U18s, Rayados 92/93 and the Lonestars. It seems that event was a better basis for partnership than the exhibition game in June against Monterrey's other club, UANL Tigres. Though the tremendous turnout at that Aztex v. Tigres match — tickets were $30 & $35, remember &mdash demonstrated the value of such a partnership.

So, who is Monterrey? Here's the little bit I've learned so far. The 2008 "Apertura" season (one of 2 seasons played each year in the Mexican league) is currently in Liguilla (playoffs). The Rayados, however, didn't make it that far this season. Nor did they quality for Mexico's InterLiga, unfortunately, which will be played in Dallas, Houston & Los Angeles. The next season, Clausura 2009 will start Jan. 16.

Personally, I'm pretty excited about this partnership. Now Aztex players will have avenues not just to English soccer, via Stoke City, but also to Mexican football. And in addition to such direct benefits, as listed above, a deal like this is just cool. Being international is part of what makes soccer so interesting. Contrast a deal like this with the global connections of the Round Rock Express or the Austin Wranglers (hint: there aren't any, and there never will be).

It instantly creates the possibility for cross-team fandom: now I have a Mexican team to follow. And hopefully, some Rayados fans, whether in Monterrey or here in Austin, will feel the same way about the Aztex. Just take a look at the view from their stadium!

(Or for that matter, from that same blog, take a look at the view inside their stadium... ;-)

I hope it works out well for all involved, and stays vibrant. Aside from the annual Rio Grande Plate, FC Dallas' partnership with UANL Tigres doesn't seem to have amounted to all that much. Regardless, here's looking forward to lots of good cross-border excitement between the red striped ones and the blue striped ones!

Labels: Rayados, U-23, USL-1