Preview: Aztex Look to Get Second Win over Sacramento
Published on June 26, 2015 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Austin Aztex News Release
AUSTIN - The Austin Aztex (5-7-2) will host Sacramento Republic FC (9-6-1) on Saturday, June 27th at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in an attempt to score their second straight win over the defending league champions. Coming off a 1-1 draw with Tulsa Roughnecks FC last Saturday, the Aztex are right on the bubble of the playoff race, tied for 6th place in the Western Conference.
Sacramento, coming off three straight wins, has reclaimed 1st place in the conference after a 3-1 victory over Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Thursday evening.
In their last meeting on June 6th, the Aztex picked up a much needed win on the road, topping Sacramento and handing them their first ever home shutout loss by a score of 1-0. Forward Kris Tyrpak netted the game winning goal on the assist from Max Gunderson. Since that loss, Sacramento has returned to their championship form, winning three straight matches by an overall score of 7-3, with two of those matches on the road. Sacramento will be looking to even the score this Saturday in Austin.
The match will come after a much needed week off for the Aztex, who played their last three matches over a span of just six days, a challenge that head coach Paul Dalglish said began to weigh on the team in the second half of last Saturday's draw with Tulsa. The Aztex will also welcome the return of goalkeeper Devin Perales, who was suspended for the last match after receiving a straight red card against Portland on June 14th.
The offensive attack for Austin will continue to be led by forward Kris Tyrpak, who leads the team with 14 starts, six goals and 13 points on the season. For the Aztex to get out of an offensive slump that has stretched over a month of USL play, they will need contributions from their array of other weapons, which include forwards Sainey Touray, Trevin Caesar and Drew Yates. The midfield is highlighted by Mozzi Gyorio and the Brazilian Guaraci, who scored his first USL goal of the season last Saturday with a spectacular strike from 33 yards out.
Head coach Paul Dalglish has experimented with his defensive line in recent weeks. Team captain Lance Rozeboom, who has started every match this season for the Aztex, will start in the middle of a line that could include Fernando Timbo, who was recently moved from the midfield, Max Gunderson, Mikey Ambrose or Travis Golden.
Sacramento comes into the match as an offensive juggernaut, second in the league in goals with 28 on the season, led by their dynamic forward Rodrigo Lopez. Lopez is tied for first in the league with nine goals, including two in their last win over Tulsa, and is second in the league in points with 21. Lopez was serving a three game suspension when the Aztex last played Sacremento, but is back in form to challenge the Aztex defense on Saturday.
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