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Aztex Game Notes for June 9

June 8, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Austin Aztex News Release


AUSTIN, Texas - When the U.S. Open Cup pairings were announced, Austin head coach Adrian Heath was paying attention.

He's just not sure if the MLS teams were as well.

"For some of the MLS clubs, it can be a little bit of a distraction for them because they're chasing their domestic league," Heath said. "We have an opportunity to progress."

The U.S. Open Cup, the oldest cup tournament in the States, has sparked debate in recent seasons -from the format to the Cup's place in U.S. Soccer's pecking order. After spending 18 years in Europe during his playing career and the past 13 in various managing roles in England where the domestic cups are taken seriously, Heath sees the differences.

"The Cup competitions in England and Europe mean so much to the clubs and to the supporters," Heath said. "[Here,] maybe they approach the game differently. ... I just think one or two might take it a bit more seriously."

Before Heath can start talking about the MLS too much, the Aztex first have to move past the first round. Austin (2-3-4 in USL-1) will kick off its Cup run Tuesday playing host to the Mississippi Brilla (4-1-2 in PDL), who earned a bid to the tournament via its first-place standing in the PDL's Southeast division during qualifying. If the Aztex advance past the Brilla, it will host the winner of the first-round match between Arizona of the USASA and El Paso of the PDL on June 16. MLS teams will enter the Cup competition in the third round with their pairings to be announced at a later date.

Last year's Cup ended with D.C. United of the MLS edging out Charleston of the USL-1 by a 2-1 margin. Seeing the Battery come that close to the title has Heath thinking positive for his club's chances.

"The Battery got to the final and lost very narrowly and unluckily," Heath said. "We have a chance to progress."

Heath has already said he's taking the Cup seriously, even if it crowds his calendar. Tuesday's Cup opener will mark the third game in five days for Heath's squad after last weekend's Friday and Sunday games against Charleston. Next week will be more of the same if Austin advances to the second round, which will come after a road trip this weekend to face Puerto Rico and Miami. The whole month of June could end with 10 games for the Aztex if the team keeps advancing through the Cup competition.

The busy schedule makes it easy for any team to push the Cup to the backburner, something Heath thinks certain clubs do, but the rewards for sticking with it are worth it for Heath.

"Every club's different; every manager's situation is different," Heath said. "Depending on how you're doing in your league, it might reflect how seriously you take the Cup competition. But I'm sure if you ask [D.C. United head coach] Tom Soehn ... not too many people were disappointed on the night of the final."



USL First Division Stories from June 8, 2009


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