1204-A Zaragoza

Laredo, Texas 78040

956-723-4700

ORLANDO, FL -- Saturday’s Southern Conference Final between the defending PDL Champion Laredo Heat and the first-year Austin Aztex was a match-up between two clubs with a great friendship. Then the whistle blew. And, just four minutes later, the referee issued two yellow cards following a 10-player melee at midfield that also saw a player on the bench sent off.

Speaking with Austin’s owner Phil Rawlins before the match, things were expected to play out a bit differently.

“Laredo has been extremely helpful in our efforts to develop a competitive PDL team,” said Rawlins. “Shashi and JJ were supportive and helped us to prepare for this season. When we went down to Laredo, we arranged to bring both of our second teams to play a match prior to our PDL match. That was good for both of us.”

“Next season, when we move up to USL-1, our relationship with Laredo will be important,” added Rawlins. “They are focused on player development. Any time we want to send a guy down they will be an option for us. Likewise, if they have a guy they think is ready to play at the next level, we are an option for him to move up.”

One thing Rawlins was dead on about was his pre-game prediction.

“The first time we played it honestly could have gone either way,” said Rawlins. “The second match opened up a bit. Today is going to be our toughest game of the season. They are the reigning champs. That’s not a title they are going to give up very easily. It will be tight, a low scoring game.”

Part of the reason is the talent each team possesses in goal.

“On a given day, I would take any one of three guys from the Mid South Division,” said Rawlins. “Ryan Cooper, Miguel Gallardo or El Paso’s goalkeeper Sebastian Narvaez. Any of those players will save the day for you.”

Yellow cards were more abundant than saves in the first half and in a game as chippy as this, it was only fitting that the first goal would come by way of a kick from the mark. Essie Lewis was the victim in the area, after he pulled away from his defender with pure acceleration down the left flank. Entering the box, Lewis was caught from behind by a sliding Laredo defender and, in the 26th minute, the official pointed to the mark. Jamie Watson quickly accepted the task of beating Cooper from the mark and rolled a sharp ball into the lower right corner of the net for a 1-0 Aztex lead.

Six minutes later, Laredo had its best shot at equalizing. The Heat held the ball in their offensive zone for several minutes before Isaac Morales was sprung one-on-one with Gallardo. The keeper expertly cut down Morales’s angle, forcing the striker to delay his shot until the last moment and, when he did pull the trigger Gallardo made the save from his back.

The final 20 minutes summarized the first half as Austin’s AJ Godbolt picked up his second yellow card of the match and was sent off. The card opened a possible door for Laredo heading into the second half.

Charged, or maybe redirected by Laredo Head Coach Isreal Collazo, the Heat needed only two minutes of the second 45 to tally the equalizer. It was the Heat’s star, 17-year old Felix Garcia, who broke free in hot pursuit of a ball played over the top from the midfield. Garcia chased the ball down before Gallardo could come off his line, touched by the charging goalkeeper, and dribbled the tying goal into the back of the net.

Somewhat shocked, the Aztex could not recover quickly enough and again, Garcia broke free in the 49th minute. Dribbling from the right sideline, Garcia beat Austin’s Lewis with a stutter-step, sped up entering the area and left another defender off balance with a left-to-right-to-left move that set up his potent left foot. In the defender’s credit, Garcia dangled the possibility of dishing to a teammate, who made a quality crossing run to the back post, forcing the defender to play the pass. But it was only to be a decoy, and the gifted striker buried a low shot past Gallardo for a 2-1 lead.

Austin caught their breath following the second goal and surrendered very few chances while playing a man down for the next 18 minutes.

But in the 68th minute, Laredo’s Silas Blackwell put on the brakes and froze his defender for a second, allowing last night’s hero, defensive midfielder Greg Mulamba to gain some speed entering the area, a juke created an opening and he finished, just as Garcia had, low to the back post, giving the Heat a 3-1 lead with 22 minutes remaining.

Laredo’s Cooper preserved the drama 21 minutes later throwing water on Austin’s best comeback opportunity. The Aztex were continually pressing minus a man when they got a good look from the top corner of the area. A well-placed shot towards the far upper-90 stretched Cooper, and at full stretch he tipped the strike over the crossbar for a corner kick. The save held the score line and the match wrapped up moments later, 3-1 in favor of the Heat.

“This win was better than last night’s,” said Mulamba, who has scored more goals in the past two matches than he did all season. “I have been defending all season long but in playoffs coach has given me more freedom to go forward.”

“I thought we came into this match a little slow,” he added. “They wanted it more in the first half but Felix got us rolling in the second and it was smooth sailing from there. He is a great talent.”

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