Soccer Watch

Austin Aztex alum Kekuta Manneh got a chance this weekend to show what he could do in the big leagues, and it was an eye-opener. The 18-year-old striker came on as a second-half sub for the Vancouver Whitecaps and promptly scored a goal and an assist, as the Whitecaps came from behind to tie league-leading FC Dallas, 2-2. Manneh was named MLS rookie-of-the-week for his heroics, after former Aztex teammate Dillon Powers (Colorado) earned that honor the previous two weeks. Go Aztex boys!

I can't promise the 2013 Aztex will have three first-round MLS draft picks, as last year's squad did, but it's got to help with recruiting; and indeed, this year's roster is stacked with some serious talent. You'll get your first chance to see what's on offer a bit earlier than previously announced, when the Aztex open their season on Tuesday, May 14, hosting a first-round match at House Park in the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the NTX Rayados of the U.S. Adult Soccer Association. The Open Cup is one of the oldest football tournaments in the world; this is the 100th annual edition. Season tickets are good for this game as well, available at www.austinaztex.com... Congrats to Paul Hart, voted the new president of the Eberly's Army supporters group at their annual meeting on Sunday.

It's Deutschland über alles in the European Champions League, though Dortmund and Bayern Munich got to the May 25 Wembley final by different routes: Dortmund surviving a furious Real Madrid comeback Tuesday to squeak in by a goal, before Munich blew out Barcelona in the Camp Nou to complete a 7-0 aggregate pasting of what had been thought to be the best team in the world.

Arsenal and Liverpool supporters: Check your Facebook pages for info on a benefit match between the supporters clubs, Saturday, May 11, 11am, at Onion Creek Soccer Complex.