Random Thoughts About the Houston Dynamo Heading into the 2021 Season

It has not been easy to be a Houston Dynamo fan in the last seven years. To say the prognosticators don’t see anything changing this year is an understatement. MLSsoccer.com experts 2021 finish predictions for the Dynamo: Charles Boehm: 10th in West Tom Bogert: 12th in West Susannah Collins: 13th in West Matthew Doyle: 12th in West Sam Jones: 10th in West Michael Lahoud: 9th in West Joe Lowery: 12th in West Jillian Sakovits: 10th in West Greg Seltzer: 13th in West Steve Zakuani: 9th in West “It will still probably be a rough season for Houston, but hopefully, this time around, they find the pieces to actually build … Continue reading Random Thoughts About the Houston Dynamo Heading into the 2021 Season

Will 2019 Women’s World Cup Help Lead to Sustained Progress in Texas Women’s Soccer?

Short answer…not sure and I doubt anybody else knows the answer either. That doesn’t mean we can’t all do something now to help grow the women’s game here. Even before the U.S. Women won their fourth FIFA World Cup, there had already been numerous steps taken in Texas women’s soccer over the last few years supporting positive progress. The third version of a domestic Women’s Professional League, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), brought us the first Texas top division professional women’s team in 2014: Houston Dash. Another positive sign was the Dash selling out their first post-World Cup game … Continue reading Will 2019 Women’s World Cup Help Lead to Sustained Progress in Texas Women’s Soccer?

USMNT and Chile Play Tomorrow in Houston-Match Preview

When the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Chile play Tuesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, it will be the 11th time they have met in international competition. The first meeting occurred in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil and the last a 2015 friendly played in Chile. The overall U.S. record vs. Chile is 3-5-2. In friendlies played at home, the USMNT has a record of 1-2-2. Chile has recent good memories in the U.S., as it was in New Jersey where they hoisted the 2016 Copa America Centenario trophy after defeating Argentina on penalties. Previous … Continue reading USMNT and Chile Play Tomorrow in Houston-Match Preview

Texas Soccer Radio Shows and Podcasts

  This post provides information on 18 Texas soccer radio shows and podcasts that have come to my attention since I launched this blog a little over a year ago.  I am publishing this list because there has been a recent wave of new podcasts that have joined the statewide soccer conversation and want to help spread the word.  There are Texas-based soccer radio shows and podcasts who are not included in this list….I only published the ones who gave their permission.  Radio shows and podcast programs are not easy to produce (many of them are live streamed) and are … Continue reading Texas Soccer Radio Shows and Podcasts

PDL’s AHFC Royals-Ambitious Youth Soccer Club takes the next step

Albion Hurricanes FC, a Houston, Texas youth soccer club founded eighteen years ago, has ambitiously expanded through the years to construct a program that now comprises dozens of boys and girls youth teams who train and play at multiple campuses in the western half of the city.  This growth has produced a deliberately constructed pyramid that allows players to progress from recreation to high levels of youth competition in an integrated pathway.   Last October the club announced the next step in their evolution, the creation of a new Premier Development League (PDL) team that further demonstrates their commitment to produce … Continue reading PDL’s AHFC Royals-Ambitious Youth Soccer Club takes the next step

Corpus Christi Soccer Embarks upon a New Journey

Corpus Christi is currently one of the largest cities in Texas without a high-level amateur or professional soccer team.  With the exception of the Corpus Christi Fuel, part of the National Premier Soccer League and short-lived Southern Premier Soccer League earlier this decade, top quality soccer of any kind has been hard to find in the Coastal Bend through the years. Fortunately for the growing number of soccer fans in the Corpus area, this will change in the spring when the newly-formed Corpus Christi FC Sharks make their debut in the USL Premier Development League (PDL).  The PDL is a … Continue reading Corpus Christi Soccer Embarks upon a New Journey

Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#5 CONCACAF Gold Cup descends on Texas-Dempsey ties record

United States celebrate semifinal victory over Costa Rica in Arlington-July 22 The 2017 iteration (the 14th) of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, a tournament played every two years to crown the confederation champion, was won by the United States when they defeated Jamaica 2-1 in Santa Clara, CA on July 26. Leading up to the final, Texas played a huge part of this tournament, hosting more than a quarter of the total games played, in four different venues around the state (the only state to host in four different stadiums): July 11 in Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium:  Group A matches: Canada … Continue reading Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#5 CONCACAF Gold Cup descends on Texas-Dempsey ties record

Santiago: Chile vs. Paraguay

Last night Texas Soccer Journal attended the Chile-Paraguay FIFA CONMEBOL 2018 World Cup Qualifier at Estadio Monumental in Santiago, Chile. This was round 15 of a long and extremely challenging qualification process involving 18 home and away matches for all 9 South American countries (at least those that are not part of CONCACAF).  Paraguay shocked Chile 3-0 here last night to help tighten up the race for the final 3.5 SA World Cup slots available, since Brazil has run away from the pack and already qualified. Stadium and match atmosphere observations: Estadio Monumental is also the home stadium of storied … Continue reading Santiago: Chile vs. Paraguay

Midland-Odessa falls in NPSL Championship Game

Photo Credit: Mark Smith/NPSL.com Elm City Express completed a story-book first-year in the NPSL when it defeated the Midland-Odessa FC Sockers 5-0 at Reese Stadium in New Haven, CT before an ecstatic crowd of 3,112 Saturday night. Two goals apiece by All NPSL third team forward Tavoy Morgan and Quenton Swift led the Express to the victory. Morgan finished the playoffs with six goals and was selected as the Mitre Man of the Match.  The Sockers, playing under an extremely challenging set of circumstances, fell behind 2-0 at halftime and it remained close until late in the match when the quality … Continue reading Midland-Odessa falls in NPSL Championship Game