The Aztexan

Road Game 7: Minnesota Thunder

2009-07-18T11:18:00.002-05:00

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.

Copa Aztex: Cruz Azul vs. Tigres

2009-07-17T15:33:00.002-05:00

Hailed as the biggest professional soccer game in Austin history, the State Farm Copa Aztex is this Saturday, July 18. The match will be an exhibition game between two storied Mexican teams gearing up to start their season: Cruz Azul and UANL Tigres.

The Chronicle has more on the game and why it's a big deal:

It’s the final preseason tune-up for the clubs, who open the 2009 Apertura season next week. Tickets are $30 and $50. Doors open at 4pm, with a pregame concert by Espinoza Paz.

This could be a huge deal for soccer in Austin, not just because of the game itself but because it’s the first time UT has teamed with an outside entity to use its gorgeous Myers Stadium. (Another first for both the Aztex and Myers: “adult beverages” at the pregame beer garden!) This event is the beginning of a three-year agreement between UT and the Aztex.

If you're not into Espinoza Paz, a group of Aztex supporters will also be gathering at Scholtz's Beer Garden on San Jacinto before the game, at about 6:00.

One interesting aspect of this game for fans of the U.S. men's national team is the presence of Edgar Castillo, currently on loan from Club América to Tigres. U.S.-born Castillo has previously been called up to the Mexican national team, but has no international caps. Though previously stating he didn't want to play for the U.S., he has been singing a different tune more recently. Whether you're a fan of the Nats or El Tri, you have a chance to scout him for yourself Saturday night.

Tickets for this huge soccer event are available at Texas Box Office.

Aztex U23s Season Finale: El Paso Patriots

2009-07-15T20:51:00.002-05:00

I didn't plan to ignore the Aztex U23s this season. It just worked out that way. With a few of their home games played outside of Austin (Waco, Bastrop, etc.), and with lots of USL-1 games to write about and attend, and the next thing you know, the season is almost over.

I only ever made it to one match at Dragon Stadium this year. I meant to write about that game, but never got around to that, either. Here's the short version: the crowd was smaller, the atmosphere was more subdued, but the soccer on the field was good. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

It's not too late for you to check out the Aztex U23s for yourself. Their last regular-season game is here in Austin this Friday, July 17, against the El Paso Patriots. Kickoff is at 7:30.

Match Forecast

Temp:	upper 90s
Rain:	10%
Wind:	8mph
Sunset:	8:33

as of 9:00 PM, 7/15/09

But note: this game will be held at the Round Rock ISD Athletic Complex, not Dragon Stadium. The Athletic Complex, commonly referred to in RRISD as The Palace, is on Parmer Lane, just north of State Highway 45 (Google map).

The race for the top of the Mid South Division is a close one, and the Aztex U23s have a shot to win it. They are currently in 2nd place in the division. The field is so tight that none of the 3 playoff berths have been clinched, even though this is the last weekend of play.

The USL-1 team will be on the road playing the Minnesota Thunder this weekend. That game is on Saturday night at 7:05 CT, you can catch it free on USLLive.com if you're not in Minnesota.

Of course, you may be at the big Copa Aztex match between Cruz Azul and Tigres on Saturday night instead (more about that in a later post).

Aztex Fall To Portland Timbers, 2-1

2009-07-12T17:37:00.000-05:00

Another game, another heartbreak for Austin soccer fans. This one was extra cruel, thrilling us the only way a stoppage-time goal by the home team can, only to turn around a moment later and crush us, the only way a stoppage-time goal by the opposing team can.

Once again, officiating was pretty poor. In one case, Austin was right in the middle of a promising attack, with Noel-Williams just dribbling into the box, when the ref called a foul — for the Aztex. There was also controversy about an uncalled foul by Portland immediately before their winning goal. And there was the 2nd half stoppage time itself, which went on for a good 6 or 7 minutes, despite being called for 4.

The You-Had-To-Be-There Moment of the Match: Austin's 93rd minute equalizing goal. Though the feeling didn't last long, for that moment, it was fantastic. I especially relished the prospect that Portland would let another win slip away at the last minute, like they did in Minnesota last Saturday. But it was not to be.

One strange aspect of the game not mentioned elsewhere: the sudden onset of high winds shortly after the hour mark. The wind up to that point had been barely enough to raise our flags. But suddenly it was blowing so hard, it was hard to hold on to them. This affected play for both teams, of course, as long balls became significantly longer or shorter, depending on the direction.

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

box score — USLSoccer.com
Weather: Hot, partly cloudy
Aztex lose to Portland 2-1 — Austin American-Statesman
The Aztex worked their way back into the game as Portland's players tried to adapt to the searing conditions on the field, some even throwing water on their shoes to try to cool their burning feet.

About midway through the second half, Heath re-introduced Noel-Williams, setting the stage for the striker's brief equalizer.

"I don't think we deserved to get beat tonight," Heath said. "I can rant and rave and shout, but unfortunately we keep making similar mistakes. I'm too angry at this time to say the things I need to say."
Aztex surrender stoppage-time goal, fall 2-1 to Portland — AustinAztex.com
“They’re better than their representation on the table says,” Portland head coach Gavin Wilkinson said. “Sometimes you need a bit of luck and they’re not getting it right now. ... It’s the way the game goes.”

Next weekend, Austin will head north to play the Minnesota Thunder on the 18th. The Thunder are just below Austin in the standings, with a 2-8-5 record.

Here in Austin, the 18th will see Mexico's Tigres vs Cruz Azul, in the first annual Copa Aztex.

The Aztex will be back home to host the Montreal Impact the following Saturday, July 25th.

Home Game 10: Portland Timbers

2009-07-09T21:44:00.001-05:00

Following a luxurious 5 day rest, the Aztex take the home field again Saturday night, July 11, at 7:30. Even this late in the season, we're still seeing firsts for our Aztex: Saturday's game will be the first-ever matchup with the Portland Timbers.

The Timbers have had a strong season so far. Their 7-1-6 record puts them in the 3rd spot on the table. They're only a few points back from the top, and they have several games in hand over both teams ahead of them, Charleston & Puerto Rico.

Portland will be looking for a strong showing in this road game, after letting a win over the Thunder slip into a 1-1 draw at the last minute last Saturday in Minnesota (match report / box score).

As this preview on The Offside's Portland blog points out, the last time the Timbers came to Texas was to play the El Paso Patriots in 2003. The following year the A-League became USL-1, and El Paso dropped to the PDL.

Match Forecast

Temp:	lower 90s
Rain:	10%
Wind:	11mph
Sunset:	8:35

as of 9:00 PM, 7/9/09

Turning from history to the future, the Timbers are still trying to work out the stadium deal that's required before their planned move to MLS in 2011. A new $31 million deal was proposed to the Portland City Council just today.

This Saturday, the Aztex are also looking for a strong showing, of course. After taking another hit to their goal differential in the 4-1 loss to the Rochester Rhinos in New York last Sunday, they'll be looking to redeem themselves:

While the Aztex have played considerably better at home, so much shifting in the back line has made it a challenge... MLS players have come in and out of the back line all season in order to battle injuries – and costly mistakes. Three of Sunday’s goals came off botched clearances, a recurring issue for Austin.

“Individual errors are costing us very dearly,” Heath said. “I look at our goals [allowed] and if I thought the opposition was cutting us open because the system was so poor, then I’d be very concerned. But at times it’s isolated incidents where defenders are making stupid errors really.”

We may see some new (and returning) players in red & white this week:

After missing 11 games and doing more sitting than training, Gifton Noel-Williams finally practiced for a full session Wednesday.

Ever since his hamstring injury in April, Austin’s team captain has been limited to the sideline. Noel-Williams made a brief 18-minute appearance against Rochester on June 21, but quickly reinjured himself and found himself back on the bench... Noel-Williams said he should be fit enough to play Saturday against Portland, even if it comes as a sub.

... Antonio Barrera of the PDL’s El Paso Patriots trained with the Aztex Wednesday. Originally brought in to train with the Aztex U23s, the midfielder has been given an amateur agreement in order to give the coaches a chance to see him in action.

“He did really well against us when we played in the [U.S.] Open Cup,” Heath said.”He’ll train with us and we’ll see how he fits in.”

Both Austin and Portland were eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup in the 3rd round (Portland knocked out by arch rivals Seattle Sounders, Austin beat by the Houston Dynamo), so they will turn their full focus to league play. You can bet that both teams will give their all to bag these 3 points.

A special Family Four Pack deal is available for this game: $40 gets you 4 tickets, 4 sodas and 4 tacos. Kickoff will be at 7:30 PM, so the pre-match supporters' gathering at Nomad Bar will start around 5:00. This should be a great game; see you there!

Aztex Fall To Rochester Rhinos, 4-1

2009-07-06T12:37:00.003-05:00

Though the Rochester Raging Rhinos dropped the "Raging" from their name last season, it would have suited their performance against the Aztex on Sunday afternoon. Or maybe Austin should have been the ones to have an adjective inserted into their name: Austin Accommodating Aztex? Allowing? Acquiescent?

I'll stop there. And like a good fan, I'll forget about that game and turn to look to the future, and wait for the big winning streak that I'm sure is coming up next.

After all, that game ended an extremely busy month — 12 games in 31 days, or an average of barely 2.5 days between matches — for a team with an already thin roster. And with the win in Cleveland, they did get 3 points on the road this weekend. So although they'll continue to be on the road a good bit, here's hoping that with some rest and some luck, this season can still be turned around.

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

box score — USLSoccer.com

Interesting, that attendance figure is 6,892, but I'm sure I heard the USLLive announcer say 8,692. I guess one of us got it backwards.

Rhinos roll to win over Aztex — Austin American-Statesman
The win improved the Rhinos' mark in USL-1 play to 7-5-2 (23 points), while Austin dropped to 3-7-6 (15 points).

The Rhinos took a 1-0 lead six minutes into the second half when Johnny Menyongar scored his fifth goal of the season.
Aztex sluggish in 4-1 loss at Rochester — AustinAztex.com
When Eddie Johnson’s penalty kick landed quietly in the clutches of Rochester Rhinos goalkeeper Tim Melia in the 56th minute, the scoreboard may have shown more than 30 minutes remaining, for all intents and purposes the game was effectively over.

Already trailing 1-0 early in the second half, when Johnson’s attempt failed, you could sense the wind come out of the sails of an Aztex team that has struggled on the road all season. The Aztex defense, which has given up a league-worst 27 goals (tied with Cleveland) all year and looked a step slower throughout the match, then proceeded to allow three goals in a span of 20 minutes. It all added up to a 4-1 defeat, and the third time this season the Aztex defense has surrendered four goals in a game.

Next up is home game this Saturday, July 11, against the Portland Timbers. I hope the Red & White earn some more flattering adjectives at that one.

Aztex Defeat Cleveland City Stars, 1-0

2009-07-05T10:34:00.004-05:00

Friday night at Middlefield Cheese Stadium saw a pretty even game between the Aztex and the Cleveland City Stars. I was terrified through the last 15 minutes that Cleveland was going to steal a draw again, like they did last weekend. But Austin held on, and got their first win on the road.

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

box score — USLSoccer.com

Aztex defeat Cleveland 1-0 on the road — Austin American-Statesman
In the 30th minute, Jeff Harwell sent in a corner kick from the right side. A Cleveland defender tried to clear the ball, but it went straight to Silva.

He collected the ball and launched a shot that skipped several times across the turf.

Cleveland goalkeeper Evan Bush, who had made a great save on an earlier shot by Silva, never touched this one, and the Aztex led 1-0.
Aztex earns first road victory, 1-0 win in Cleveland — AustinAztex.com
Six days after giving up a stoppage-time goal and settling for one point in a 2-2 draw against the Cleveland City Stars (2-10-4, 10 points), the Austin Aztex (3-6-6, 15 points) scored early, and managed to fend off a furious second-half attack from Cleveland to win 1-0 and earn the team its first road win of the season.

Next up is the 2nd game of this weekend's roadtrip: the Rochester Rhinos on July 5 (today) at 2:00 PM CT (see Friday's 2-for-1 pregame post for more on that game).

Then the Red & White will be back in town next Saturday, July 11, for their first-ever match against one of the best teams in USL-1 so far this season, the Portland Timbers.

Road Games 5 & 6: Cleveland City Stars, Rochester Rhinos

2009-07-03T07:30:00.001-05:00

While most of us get three days off this Independence Day weekend, the Aztex only have the 4th itself off, with road games on Friday & Sunday.

On Friday, July 3 (that's tonight), they visit the Cleveland City Stars, in a rematch of last weekend's game there. Hopefully Austin will finish the City Stars off this time, and not let them steal a draw at the last minute. Both teams will be fighting for the points, trying to get into the playoff picture:

Despite occupying the ninth and 10th positions in the league table, Austin and Cleveland are within striking distance of the seventh place playoff position due the league’s parity. The expansion Aztex currently sit four points back with a record of 2-6-6 on the year and Cleveland is six back at 2-9-4.

This game, at Cleveland's Middlefield Cheese Stadium, will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel. Everyone's invited to join fans and supporters at Cuatros on 24th, where the match will be shown on the giant Cuatron screen. Kickoff is 7:00 PM CT.

The second game of the weekend is on the afternoon of Sunday, July 5, facing the Rochester Rhinos at Marina Auto Stadium in New York.

The Rhinos are currently on a 4-game winning streak that includes the 2-0 defeat of the Aztex here in Austin two weeks ago. In their most recent league play, they got a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Thunder, at Minnesota (match report / box score). They also eliminated MLS' Columbus Crew from the U.S. Open Cup this week, squeaking by on penalty kicks.

Kickoff for the match in Rochester is 2:00 PM CT. Like all USL-1 matches (except those broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel), you can watch it live, for free, on USLLive.com.

As we approach the middle of the season, and with the majority of Austin's remaining games on the road, the Red & White are going to need to figure out how to win some games. Aside from PDL opponents in the Open Cup, the Aztex are on a winless run that goes back to the end of May (a 3-1 win over the Puerto Rico Islanders).

Though they're on the road more, their July schedule is much less grueling than June's was. With no more Open Cup matches, they have "only" 6 games in July, counting the Houston game on the 1st. Hopefully we'll see some players able to return to the pitch, some others get rested and raring to go, and some points racked up in the standings. Go Aztex!

Aztex Fall To Houston Dynamo, 2-0

2009-07-02T20:26:00.003-05:00

Well, it wasn't a blowout. It wasn't a romp. It wasn't a massacre. Though for a few minutes at the start, it looked like it might be a couple of those, the Aztex hung in there and fought the good fight. Scoreless at the end of the first half, it was easy to imagine overtime after another 45 minutes like that.

Unfortunately, the second half wasn't quite like that. Houston came out stronger and dominated more thoroughly. Most importantly, of course, they were able to do what Austin has not been able to do reliably for some time now: put the ball in the back of the net.

Some are still wondering about the way Jeff Harwell was brought down in the Houston box early in the game. An Aztex penalty kick at that point would have certainly affected the game. In related news: if a frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his ass a-hoppin'.

So ends the Aztex's 2009 U.S. Open Cup run. But getting to this round wasn't without its benefits. The game last night was very well attended, just a couple hundred shy of the 5,000 mark. A meaningful meeting with a major league team, even if it was just for the poor under-appreciated Open Cup, also brought more press attention than most games get.

The You-Had-To-Be-There Moment of the Match: just seeing all the Houston fans in attendance. I don't know if we have a bunch of closet Dynamo supporters in town, or if that many folks really drove 3 hours for a midweek game. Either way, it's impressive and heartening to see that level of fan support. Even if they are all attired in that ridiculous neon orange that Houston is saddled with.

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

box score — USOpenCup.com

Ashe douses Aztex's chances in Open Cup — Austin American-Statesman
The ever-active Harwell then sprinted the length of the field to turn the ensuing Houston corner kick into a scoring chance at the other end, but his appeal for a penalty went unheeded after he went down in the Houston box following contact with the last defender.

The remaining minutes of the first half followed a similar pattern, as Houston camped in the Austin half but couldn't score while the Aztex sat back and used Harwell's speed to counterattack.
Ashe’s performance leads Dynamo to 2-0 win over Aztex — AustinAztex.com
Houston’s best chance of the first half came late, when Mullan, who had made himself comfortable along the right side all half, fired in a cross that Danny Cruz headed just wide of the post. The half ended scoreless before Ashe came out and put away the game with his impressive second-half performance.

“They’ve got Ashe, they had Kei Kamara [off the bench]; that shows their strength in depth,” Heath said. “They’re probably one of the best run clubs in the MLS. I’m disappointed with the result, but pleased with the performance.”

The Dynamo advance to the Open Cup quarterfinals, where they'll face the Charleston Battery, in Charleston on Tuesday, July 7. That's the same Cup matchup they've had for the last 2 years, and Houston has gone down to the USL-1 side both times. Here's hoping for a third!

No rest for the Red & White - they're back on the road for a rematch of last weekend's matchup with Cleveland City Stars. That game is Friday, July 3, at 7:00 PM CT. Watch it live on Fox Soccer Channel, at home or in the company of other fans at Cuatros on 24th.

U.S. Open Cup Round 3: Houston Dynamo

2009-06-30T20:57:00.002-05:00

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.

Aztex Draw With Cleveland City Stars, 2-2

2009-06-29T06:01:00.000-05:00

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.

Road Game 4: Cleveland City Stars

2009-06-26T19:12:00.001-05:00

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.

The Aztexan Store

2009-06-23T07:22:00.004-05:00

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.

Aztex Fall To Rochester Rhinos, 2-0

2009-06-22T08:09:00.001-05:00

photo: AustinAztex.com

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.

Home Game 9: Rochester Rhinos

2009-06-20T18:40:00.001-05:00

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?

Match Forecast

Temp:	upper 90s
Rain:	10%
Wind:	10mph
Sunset:	8:36

as of 6:00 PM, 6/20/09

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!

Aztex Draw With Carolina Railhawks, 1-1

2009-06-20T09:57:00.000-05:00

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.)

Home Game 8: Carolina Railhawks

2009-06-18T21:12:00.002-05:00

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.

Aztex Defeat El Paso Patriots, 2-0

2009-06-17T20:07:00.001-05:00

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.

U.S. Open Cup Round 2: El Paso Patriots

2009-06-16T06:15:00.001-05:00

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.

Match Forecast

Temp:	low 90s
Rain:	0%
Wind:	9mph
Sunset:	8:35

as of 6:00 AM, 6/16/09

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!

Aztex Fall To Islanders 4-1, Miami 2-0

2009-06-15T21:36:00.000-05:00

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.

Aztex at Puerto Rico Islanders, Miami FC

2009-06-12T08:10:00.002-05:00

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.

Aztex Defeat Mississippi Brilla, 2-0

2009-06-10T11:52:00.005-05:00

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!

U.S. Open Cup Round 1: Mississippi Brilla

2009-06-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

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.”

Match Forecast

Temp:	upper 80s
Rain:	10%
Wind:	9mph
Sunset:	8:32

as of 7:00 AM, 6/9/09

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!).

Aztex Draw With Charleston Battery, 1-1

2009-06-08T21:26:00.002-05:00

photo: Patrick Meredith

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.

Copa Aztex

2009-06-07T10:53:00.000-05:00

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.