Stars of Mexico Coming to San Diego, Stockton

October 12, 2009 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) News Release


The second season of the Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL-Pro) will begin with much fanfare as the Stars of Mexico head north to take on the San Diego Sockers on November 7 and the California Cougars on November 8.

It will also mark the return of Luis "El Matador" Hernandez, who inspired a record crowd of 8,052 at the Stockton Arena on 2/10/2007. Hernandez Is Mexico's third all-time leading scorer with 35 goals in 85 career appearances.

Hernandez will be joined by Guadalupe "El Lupillo" Castaneda whose rebound goal through the legs of a stunned Jorge Campos gave Cruz Azul a memorable postseason victory over Pumas in 1995. Manning the nets will be Oscar Dautt who has played for several teams in Mexico's First Division, most recently Puebla FC.

The November 7 match at 6:15 at newly renovated Del Mar Arena will be a grand opening celebration for the Sockers. San Diego hosted Tijuana in a PASL-Premier game there in June, but this will be their first professional indoor game.

On the following afternoon at 4:00pm, the Cougars will host the Stars of Mexico at Stockton Arena. The Cougars are planning a special ceremony to commemorate their 2008-09 PASL-Pro Championship.

Last year -- the PASL-Pro's first -- Stockton set a season-high in attendance when they hosted 3,971 fans on Mexican Heritage Night against the Monterrey La Raza. "We think we can set a new league record during the Stars of Mexico weekend," said PASL-Pro Commissioner Kevin Milliken. "San Diego's arena capacity might be put to the test, but the Cougars will have a very good chance of setting a new mark."

The balance of the Stars of Mexico roster is composed of players from the Mexican National Futbol Rapido Team that is undefeated in international play, including Ivan Medina who terrorized the US team for five goals and an assist in a 6-5 win in July's Independence Cup.

Two names will be very familiar to Cougars fans. Vicente Figueroa and Eduardo Velez, who played 49 and 33 games for the Cougars, respectively, return to oppose their former teammates.

"It will be good to see Vicente and Eddie again," said new Cougars coach Antonio Sutton, "but we will not take this game lightly. It will be a honor to play against Luis Hernandez and the rest of those guys, but we want to set the tone for the season. We are the champions and everyone will be gunning for us."

For more information go to the official websites of the Sockers (www.sdsockers.com) and the Cougars (www.californiacougars.net).

2009 STARS OF MEXICO ROSTER FOR NOVEMBER 7-8

#1 OSCAR DAUTT GOALKEEPER; DATE OF BIRTH: JUNE 8, 1976; PREVIOUS TEAMS: CF MONTERREY, TOROS NEZA, PUEBLA FC, TIGRES UNAL, LOBOS BUAP, TIJUANA FC MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM 2001 FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP.

#2 GUADALUPE "El Lupillo" CASTANEDA DEFENDER, DATE OF BIRTH: FEBRUARY 24, 1965; PREVIOUS TEAMS: ATLAS, LEON, CRUZ AZUL, CHIVAS, DORADOS

#3 JORGE QUIROZ DEFENDER

#8 VICTOR OMAR QUIROZ MIDFIELDER; DATE OF BIRTH: SEPTEMBER 8 1976; PREVIOUS TEAMS: MONTERREY FURY (MISL), MONTERREY LA RAZA (MISL/NISL), 2008-09: 13 GOALS, 4 ASSISTS IN 18 GAMES, 7 CAREER CAPS WITH MNAST WITH 7 GOALS, 4 ASSISTS #2 VICTOR SANTIBANEZ DEFENDER; DATE OF BIRTH: NOVEMBER 24 1978; PREVIOUS TEAMS: MONTERREY LA RAZA (MISL/NISL), 2008-09: 1 GOAL, 2 ASSISTS, 11 BLOCKS IN 18 GAMES, SCORELESS IN 5 CAREER CAPS WITH MNAST.

#5 OSCAR RIVAS MIDFIELDER #6 JOSE ARMANDO TERAN MIDFIELDER; DATE OF BIRTH: AUGUST 27 1980; PREVIOUS TEAMS: MONTERREY FURY (MISL), MONTERREY LA RAZA (MISL/NISL) 2008-09: SCORED 8 GOALS, 5 ASSISTS, 14 BLOCKS IN 18 GAMES WITH MONTERREY, HAS 7 CAPS WITH MNAST WITH 2 GOALS, 7 ASSISTS

#7 ROMAN MADRID MIDFIELDER #8 VICTOR OMAR QUIROZ MIDFIELDER; DATE OF BIRTH: SEPTEMBER 8 1976; PREVIOUS TEAMS: MONTERREY FURY (MISL), MONTERREY LA RAZA (MISL/NISL), 2008-09: 13 GOALS, 4 ASSISTS IN 18 GAMES, 7 CAREER CAPS WITH MNAST WITH 7 GOALS, 4 ASSISTS #9 EDGAR RIVAS FORWARD; PREVIOUS TEAMS: LA CABANA DE TIJUANA (LMFR), REVOLUCION TIJUANA (LMFR), 1 CAP WITH MEXICAN NATIONAL FUTBOL RAPIDO TEAM

#10 IVAN MEDINA MIDFIELDER; DATE OF BIRTH: MAY 6 1980; PREVIOUS TEAMS: MONTERREY LA RAZA (MISL/NISL), 2008-09: 16 GOALS, 4 ASSISTS, 11 BLOCKS IN 16 GAMES, 5 CAPS WITH MNAST WITH 10 GOALS AND 3 ASSISTS.

#11 JOSE ALBERTO CHAVEZ MIDFIELDER; 2 CAPS WITH MEXICAN NATIONAL FUTBOL RAPIDO TEAM

#12 EDUARDO VELEZ MIDFIELDER; DATE OF BIRTH: OCTOBER 13 1981; PREVIOUS TEAMS: U-15 MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM, SAN DIEGO SOCKERS, CALIFORNIA COUGARS (MISL), LA CABANA DE TINUANA (LMFR), 5 CAPS WITH MNFRT

#13 VICENTE FIGUEROA FORWARD; DATE OF BIRTH: OCTOBER 22, 1977; PREVIOUS TEAMS: 2005-06 MISL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WITH CALIFORNIA COUGARS (MISL), 2003-2005 SANTA CLARA (PASL-PREMIER), KANSAS CITY WIZARDS, SAN JOSE CLASH (MLS), 5 CAPS WITH MNAST WITH 1 GOAL AND 1 ASSIST #15 LUIS "El Matador" HERNANDEZ FORWARD; DATE OF BIRTH: AUGUST 17, 1968; PREVIOUS TEAMS: CRUZ AZUL, QUERETARO FC, MONTERREY, NECAXA, BOCA JUNIORS, TIGRES UNAL, LA GALAXY (MLS), CLUB AMERICA, CD VERACRUZ, JAGUARES DE CHIAPAS, LOBOS DE LA BUAP, 87 APPEARANCES WITH MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM



Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from October 12, 2009


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