The shorthanded Austin Aztex took a beating in Montreal on Sunday – their first loss of the season, 4-0 to the Impact. The Aztex were without eight roster players for various reasons, including at least five starters. And things may not get a lot better on that front any time soon: Two key starters who did make the trip, Englishmen Eddie Johnson and Gareth Evans, were reportedly not allowed back in the country and returned to England to get work permits sorted out, leaving the team shorthanded for perhaps up to a month. Tough timing, if it doesn’t happen quickly, as the Aztex face a grueling run of up to 11 games in a four-week stretch starting June 5, that will likely determine the success of this inaugural season. This week they take on the first-place Carolina RailHawks – 6pm Sunday, May 17, at Nelson Field (Berkman, just north of US 290 West).
Meanwhile, the Aztex U-23 amateurs have their first home game at 7:30pm Friday, May 22, hosting the El Paso Patriots at Dragon Stadium in Round Rock (off Highway 29, just west of I-35), with a possible slot in the U.S. Open Cup on the line.
Below: News from Europe
The European season is winding to a close. The three biggest league titles were decided on the weekend, as Manchester United, Inter Milan, and Barcelona each clinched their championships with a game or two to go. Elsewhere, Lyon will not win their eighth straight title in France; that race is down to Bordeaux and Marseille. Germany is down to the final weekend with Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich, and Stuttgart all still in the running. And Scotland, as always, is down to Glasgow’s Rangers and Celtic, also heading into the final game. Other champions: AZ Alkmaar in Holland, Olympiakos in Greece, Porto in Portugal.
As we go to press, Shakhtar Donetsk just beat Werder Bremen, 2-1 in overtime in Istanbul, to lift the final UEFA Cup and become the first Ukranian team to win an international trophy.
Two of the biggest games are left to play: The Champions League final is in Rome this Wednesday, May 27, 1:30pm, live on ESPN, with even more than usual on the line. Manchester United are looking for their fourth trophy of the year – to go with their League, Carling Cup, and World Club Cup titles – to cement their claim to being the best team in the world, and maybe one of the best in history. But if Barcelona can pop that bubble, they’ll become the first team ever to win the triple crown of league title, national Cup, and Champions League in the same season… And the traditional climax of the Euro season, the English FA Cup final, pits Chelsea versus Everton, 9am, Saturday, May 30 at Wembley Stadium, live on FSC.
This article appears in May 15 • 2009.