Aztex Hold on for First Eoad Win, a 1-0 Victory in Cleveland

July 3, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Austin Aztex News Release


CLEVELAND, Ohio - Six days after giving up a stoppage-time goal and settling for one point in a 2-2 draw against the Cleveland City Stars (2-10-4, 10 points), the Austin Aztex (3-6-6, 15 points) scored early, and managed to fend off a furious second-half attack from Cleveland to win 1-0 and earn the team its first road win of the season.

Unlike a week earlier in which the City Stars jumped out to the early lead, this time the Aztex dominated from the opening whistle.

Playing most of the first 20 minutes in the Cleveland end, Austin had multiple opportunities to go up on top. The first came less than 10 minutes in when Austin's leading scorer on the season, striker Eddie Johnson tried to add to his total by muscling through a pair of Cleveland defenders to the goal. However, before Johnson managed to get off his shot, Cleveland keeper Evan Bush charged off his line to the edge of the box and managed to get just enough of the ball to send it out of play.

Austin was just getting started.

Less than 10 minutes later, Sullivan Silva, who has been out the last couple of games resolving work visa issues, almost put the Aztex on the board. After Mike Callahan sent a cross from the left side into the box that deflected off a Cleveland defender, Silva one-timed the ball out of midair. The ball eluded traffic in front but Bush managed to knock the ball clear. Turns out the sequence of events was just a pre-cursor of things to come.

In the 30th minute, Jeff Harwell sent in a corner kick from the right side. Cleveland defender Ibrahim Kante attempted to clear the ball out, but it went straight to Silva in almost the exact spot he fired from just minutes before. This time Silva collected the ball, then fired. Unlike the first attempt, the ball skipped several times across the turf. Also unlike the first time, Bush never touched the ball and the Aztex went up on top 1-0.

Following the goal, the City Stars began to attack and had its best offensive chance in the 38th minute on a long throw-in. Aztex keeper Sam Reynolds narrowly missed grabbing the ball before it eventually bounced through the box untouched by a player from either side.

Following halftime, Cleveland came out a different team.

The clearest indicator could be counted in corner kicks alone. By the 70th minute, Cleveland had a 5-1 advantage in the half and more importantly, had multiple scoring opportunities but failed to capitalize.

The best chance came in the 57th minute when Cleveland's Israel Sesay managed to get a toe on a loose ball just in front of goal but the ball slid wide of the far post for an Austin goal kick. Cleveland sustained the attack for the better part of 20 minutes with multiple opportunities by speedy midfielder Ryan Stewart. After several near-misses, Stewart had his best chance in the 66th minute when he received a perfectly chipped pass from Gordon Kljestan after slipping behind the Aztex back line. Stewart had a couple of touches, avoided a hard-charging Aztex defender, then fired well wide of the target.

From there, the Aztex settled down, managed to gain some possession of the ball, and held on for the team's first road victory of the season.

Austin has little time to celebrate and enjoy its first road win of the season as the team turns around and plays on Sunday in Rochester. Kickoff is set for 2pm (CT).



USL First Division Stories from July 3, 2009


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