Soccer Watch
By Nick Barbaro, Fri., Jan. 17, 2014
Congrats to Manuel Buentello, who's been named the new head coach of the Austin Aztex, replacing Paul Dalglish, who moved up to Real Salt Lake last week. The Matamoros native has been an assistant coach with the Aztex since their inception in 2012, and also has an extensive, 20-year history with local youth programs. The defending PDL champions begin their 2014 season May 10.
Registration is open for the third annual Copa Esperanza, a 7v7 coed soccer tournament sponsored by the Austin Coed Soccer Association, with all proceeds benefitting local nonprofit Villa Esperanza. The tourney is Saturday, March 1; see www.acsasoccer.org/copa for info.
Cristiano Ronaldo won his second FIFA Ballon d'Or award as Player of the Year, beating out Lionel Messi, winner of the last four awards, and Frenchman Franck Ribery. The other honorees were German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, who signed Monday to play in the U.S. with the NWSL champion Portland Thorns, as Women's Player of the Year, and Jupp Heynckes, recently retired from Bayern Munich, as Coach of the Year.