Aztex at JELD-WEN?

The U.S. Open Cup third-round pairings were announced yesterday, and the Austin Aztex got a juicy draw indeed, if they make it past their second-round match Tuesday night at House Park with the USL-PRO Wilmington Hammerheads.

The Austin-Wilmington winner will be off to Portland, Oregon the next week, to face the Portland Timbers at historic Jeld-Wen Field – built in 1926, and home to the Timbers since 1975. That's pretty heady stuff for our little second-year PDL team, but then, the guys who've been here since last year can look around MLS and see a couple of their former teammates playing at that level already. And you can look at this year's roster, and see a number of guys who might have an MLS future, so … why not?

First, however, the Aztex have to get past Wilmington this coming Tuesday (7:30pm May 21 at House Park). The Hammerheads are a fully pro team in the United Soccer Leagues' USL-PRO, a level up from the amateur Aztex, but they're off to a slow start this year, losing their last five games after beating hapless Antigua in the season opener. Beating them will be an upset, but not a huge one.

Portland will be special.