The USL Show: “Austin was managed terribly”

The USL Show podcast

The first episode of the new USL Show podcast (not officially related to the league) was released this week. The discussion centers around the current state and possible future of USL, especially relative to MLS. There’s also a lot of discussion of what has happened in Rochester, where the league has taken over management of the 2015 champion Rhinos. In the course of that talk (at about the 1-hour, 12-minute point), panelist Brendan Doherty discloses information from unnamed sources … Read the rest “The USL Show: “Austin was managed terribly””

Aztex 2015: the Year in Review

For local supporters of the beautiful game, 2015 will be remembered for dramatic highs and devastating lows. It was a year in which professional soccer made a return to the City of the Violet Crown, but which ends with no active team and head coach Paul Dalglish packing his bags for a new gig in Canada.

Preseason

The year began with bang; in February the Aztex hosted three MLS teams – FC Dallas, Columbus Crew, and D.C. United – in … Read the rest “Aztex 2015: the Year in Review”

On the Record: an Interview with the Aztex

In the wake of last month’s news that the Austin Aztex would be on hiatus in 2016, with a planned reentry to USL competition in 2017, many questions came up about the club’s surprise announcement. Violet Crown Soccer had the opportunity to sit down at The Tavern last week with Aztex owner and CEO Rene van de Zande, founder David Markley and General Manager Roberto Pinto da Silva, Jr., and ask some of those questions.

It’s clear that the group … Read the rest “On the Record: an Interview with the Aztex”

It’s Aztex Déjà vu All Over Again

Earlier today, the Austin Aztex announced that they will not be participating on the field in 2016. The announcement ends speculation around the club’s immediate future but does not help with lingering concerns about the viability of soccer in Austin.

The United Soccer League announced today that it had granted permission for the Austin Aztex to not participate in the 2016 season due to the unavailability of a stadium that meets league standards and the unforeseen delays in the development

Read the rest “It’s Aztex Déjà vu All Over Again”

Aztex Close Out Season with Comeback Win

The Austin Aztex (10-15-3) completed their inaugural USL campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (8-14-6) at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver. The win elevated the Texas club to a 9th place finish, in a parity-filled USL Western Conference. While outside of a playoff position, the Aztex completed the season on a strong note, winning their only game north of the border.

Sunday’s match did not get off to a favorable start for the visitors as Vancouver … Read the rest “Aztex Close Out Season with Comeback Win”

Aztex Blanked at Colorado Springs

On Wednesday night the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (14-9-3) shut down the Austin Aztex (9-4-13) attack and earned a 3-0 victory, mathematically eliminating Austin from USL’s Western Conference playoffs. The Aztex road form is mostly to blame for their standing out side of playoff contention. Having only earned 9 points as a visiting team on the season, the club has struggled to find themselves outside of Texas.

The match got off to a terrible start for the visitors when a … Read the rest “Aztex Blanked at Colorado Springs”

Aztex Shine in Final Home Match

In what was likely the final match at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex for 2015, an announced crowd of 5,050 witnessed the Austin Aztex (9-13-3) defeat the Seattle Sounders 2 (12-11-3) by a narrow 2-1 margin. The victory allowed the club to post a winning home record in their first USL season. Saturday’s match also saw the Aztex wear pink jerseys that were auctioned to support Komen Austin and the Aztex Foundation.

Paul Dalglish chose a lineup combination and formation we … Read the rest “Aztex Shine in Final Home Match”

Aztex to End 2015 Home Season vs. Sounders 2

From AustinAztex.com: Preview: Aztex Close Out Home Schedule Versus Sounders 2.

The Austin Aztex (8-13-3) will look to close out their final home game of their 2015 USL inaugural season on a high note when they face Seattle Sounders FC 2 (12-10-3) Saturday evening at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex.

This will be the first ever meeting between the two squads, which will face each other again in Seattle on September 17th. These teams will also be looking to reverse … Read the rest “Aztex to End 2015 Home Season vs. Sounders 2”