Another milestone this week for the Austin Aztex, as they host the First Division Atlanta Silverbacks in a U.S. Open Cup match, Tuesday, June 10, 7:30pm. This is a knockout game, so it will go to overtime and a penalty kick shootout, if necessary; the winner goes on to the second round June 24. That’ll be Austin’s third game in five days: They host El Paso, Friday, 7:30pm, then go to Dallas on Sunday, before coming home for the Cup game Tuesday night. Though the Aztex lost their first game of the season last Saturday, 0-2, at Mississippi, they’re still solidly atop the division with a 4-1-1 record heading into this critical stretch. Round Rock Dragon Stadium, just west of I-35 & 620.
In other Aztex news, English Championship team Burnley has announced that it will play an exhibition in Austin on July 9. Along with Stoke, Burnley’s another team the Aztex have ties to: Aztex senior team coach Adrian Heath is a former player and manager for the Clarets. It’ll be a great opportunity for the team and the fans; somewhat unfortunately, it creates another brutal stretch of games for the team – five games in nine days, including a road trip to New Orleans and Baton Rouge – right during the stretch run of the regular season.
This article appears in May 30 • 2008.