The Austin Aztex season has just started – I’m not sure their roster’s even fully set yet – but already they’re under some pressure, contending in two different competitions at once, and likely facing two games a week for as long as they can keep up their early success.
The Premier Development League season got underway last weekend in Oklahoma City, where Tony Rocha and Tucker Hume each scored off set pieces in the last 15 minutes to pull out a 2-1 win in what was, by all accounts, a very physical game. The Aztex now have home games the next three Saturdays, against the Houston Dutch Lions, Laredo Heat, and Oklahoma City. The home opener is this Saturday, May 18, 7:30pm at House Park.
Meanwhile, the Aztex are also qualified for the U.S. Open Cup, a national tournament open to all teams in the country, from Major League Soccer down through amateur rec leagues. In the first round Tuesday night at House Park, the Aztex hosted NTX Rayados, one of those amateur clubs, probably the best in the soccer-rich Metroplex leagues. I had to miss the first half, which had most of the action (two home-team goals, on either side of a questionable red card to the Aztex’ Aaron Guillen for a goalkeeper collision) – but what I did see in the second half was a very composed Aztex squad that kept great shape on the field, down a man, and still looked dangerous as hell on the counterattack, mostly down the wings. A late goal by tireless striker Andres Cuero made it 3-0, and it’s on to the second round, where the Aztex will host the USL-PRO Wilmington Hammerheads – the first fully pro team these Aztex have faced and a real early test of how good they might be. (If they get past that one, the Open Cup competition keeps getting stiffer as the NASL and MLS teams enter at successive stages. Aztex-Scorpions? Aztex-Orlando? Aztex-Dynamo? Who can say? Wilmington, however, is this Tuesday, May 21, 7:30pm at House Park. Pre- and post-game fan gatherings are at the Tavern, 12th & Lamar. The 338 bus stops right in front.
Wigan had quite the roller-coaster ride this week, learning that they won’t be in the English Premier League next year, but they will have two new leagues – and new challenges. They won their first-ever FA Cup trophy on Saturday with a dramatic 90th minute goal to upset Manchester City and earn a spot in the continent-wide Europa League next year – then lost to Arsenal in league play Tuesday, ensuring a bottom-three EPL finish and relegation to the second-division championship… Speaking of the Europa Cup: Chelsea has just won it, 2-1 over Benfica, as we go to press Wednesday.
Note: After deadline, news came in that the Aztex/Hammerheads winner will be off to Oregon the next week, to face the Portland Timbers on Wednesday, May 21 at historic Jeld-Wen Field. See the full draw here.
This article appears in May 17 • 2013.