San Antonio Thunder 45th Anniversary-Inaugural Match vs. Dallas Tornado

“This is professional hockey, right?” This tentative question came from a fan seated behind a columnist from the San Antonio Express during the San Antonio Thunder’s 2-1 victory over Dallas Tornado in their inaugural North American Soccer League match 45 … Continue reading San Antonio Thunder 45th Anniversary-Inaugural Match vs. Dallas Tornado

This Week Marks the 45 Year Anniversary of San Antonio’s First Pro Soccer Team

In April 1975, San Antonio and Central Texas joined nineteen other cities and regions in the United States with a professional first-division soccer team when the San Antonio Thunder played their first match in the North American Soccer League (NASL). On Friday April 18th, 1975, the Thunder opened their inaugural season at North East Stadium (now Comalander Stadium) in San Antonio against the other team from Texas in the league, the Dallas Tornado. How a city with no previous experience with top-level professional soccer became part of this league is an interesting story, which unfortunately ended much too soon when … Continue reading This Week Marks the 45 Year Anniversary of San Antonio’s First Pro Soccer Team

2019 Texas College Soccer Season Underway

The 2019 Texas College Soccer season is underway with preseason play beginning last week.  College Soccer programs (both 4-year and Community Colleges) generally play a compressed 15-20 game regular season that just recently began and ends in late October.  Conference and National playoffs, in the respective governing organizations (e.g., NCAA, NAIA), are concluded by early December.  Some universities, especially in Division I and II, also play abbreviated spring exhibition schedules. Brief History of College Soccer in Texas In simplistic terms, the first serious organized soccer leagues in the country originated in Northeast universities more than 100 years ago.  College soccer … Continue reading 2019 Texas College Soccer Season Underway

Rebranded USL League Two Begins 2019 Mid South Division Season Tonight

United Soccer League Two (USL 2), formerly known as the Premier Development League (PDL), begins play tonight in Grand Prairie when defending champion Brazos Valley Cavalry travel to face Texas United. United has played a unique and challenging preseason schedule that featured matchups against USL Championship sides. Brazos Valley, fielding a roster primarily composed of Houston Dynamo Academy players, comes off of a tough 1-0 loss to Laredo Heat in U.S. Open Cup action Tuesday night in Laredo. USL 2 consists of 74 teams playing in four regional conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada. The league is part of what … Continue reading Rebranded USL League Two Begins 2019 Mid South Division Season Tonight

Lower League Texas Derby Featured in Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup First Round

On Saturday afternoon Houston Dynamo defeated FC Dallas 2-1 at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium in the first iteration of the 2019 Texas Derby. Since this year’s version of the Derby is played over two matches, FC Dallas will get a second chance to return the favor and retain the coveted El Capitan cannon, awarded to the winner of the series each year, when the two MLS clubs meet in August. On a smaller scale, Tuesday night in Laredo will provide a fascinating amateur lower league version of the Texas Derby. But since this match is part of the Lamar Hunt … Continue reading Lower League Texas Derby Featured in Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup First Round