The Austin Aztex moved to 4-0 on Saturday with a 3-2 win over second-place Oklahoma City, as last year’s leading scorer, Kris Tyrpak, opened his account for 2013 with a pair of goals, including a gorgeous left-footed strike from distance; when he’s making diagonal runs into the heart of the defense, the Aztex are a threat to score every time. On the flip side, this was the first time all year I thought the Aztex defense looked unsettled. Both OKC goals came on defensive lapses; it was almost as though, in their fourth straight one-goal win, the Aztex couldn’t stand the luxury of a two-goal lead. Not that I’m complaining; top of the league will do nicely, thank you. … The Aztex are on the road at Houston this Saturday, before hosting the El Paso Patriots next Saturday, June 15, 7:30pm, at House Park.
Elsewhere, World Cup qualifying takes center stage for the next two weeks, with some 89 games on all five major continents. The action kicked off Tuesday with Japan becoming the first team to qualify for Brazil 2014, and Mexico earning their first win of the campaign, 1-0 in Jamaica. The U.S.A. will try to match that result this Friday night in Kingston; the Reggae Boyz, currently in last place in the six-team final group, will be desperate for a result (8:30pm, only on al Jazeera’s beIN Sport). … Then it’s back home to Seattle to host always dangerous Panama (Tuesday, June 11, 9pm, on ESPN), followed by Honduras at Salt Lake City the following Tuesday.
There are a lot of questions swirling around the team, which has yet to establish an identity in nearly two years under coach Jürgen Klinsmann. Two tune-ups this week provided no answers: a dismal 4-2 drubbing by in-form Belgium was followed by a wildly up-and-down performance in a 4-3 win over a Germany missing most of its starters. Is there method in Klinsmann’s madness? Or will he have to turn to Landon Donovan to play the returning hero in the final act this fall? We’ll know more in two weeks.
This article appears in June 7 • 2013.