Tag: Top 10-2017

USL Championship1 Comment

Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#1 A 9,700 seat soccer specific stadium opens in the Rio Grande Valley

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I have been following soccer in the United States for 43 years.  Every year without failure (especially every 4 years when the World Cup comes around), there will be some sort of discussion about when soccer will arrive or make it in the United States.  This discussion will then usually be followed by a fossil journalist (or many of them) who, in their once every four years soccer article, will drag out the tired and tedious “joke” about how soccer is the sport of the future…and it always will be. Please allow me to provide a reason why we should … Continue reading Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#1 A 9,700 seat soccer specific stadium opens in the Rio Grande Valley

Austin F.C., MLS, USL Championship3 Comments

Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#3 Professional Soccer in Austin Becomes Very Popular

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Austin Aztex 2015 ATX Pro Challenge Trophy-dubbed the “Best. Trophy. Ever.” by the Washington Post after DC United won this tournament.  (mlssoccer.com) Austin professional soccer remained nothing more than a dream into the middle of the year.  After USL’s Austin Aztex went on hiatus at the end of the 2015 season, since there were no acceptable stadium options, no professional or even high level amateur teams remained in the ATX metro area.  That all changed in a huge way in the second half of the year and inserted Austin straight into the middle of a nation-wide battle over the “soul” … Continue reading Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#3 Professional Soccer in Austin Becomes Very Popular

Houston Dynamo, MLS4 Comments

Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#4 Houston Dynamo turnaround leads to Western Conference Finals

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It is still hard to believe that I was part of a sellout crowd above at BBVA Compass Stadium for the first leg of the MLS Western Conference Finals.  Heading into the 2017 season, three straight years out of the playoffs, a last place 2016 conference record and boring play had created a combined sense of disgust and apathy among the fan base.  Season ticket sales were down significantly and many games late in 2016 were played in basically empty stadiums.  There was a belief that new signings brought in during the offseason would improve the results from the absolute … Continue reading Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#4 Houston Dynamo turnaround leads to Western Conference Finals

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

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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

USL Championship6 Comments

Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#6 San Antonio FC’s defense leads club to first playoff win

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San Antonio FC (SAFC), in only its second year as a USL franchise, produced a superb 17-4-11 record (62 points and a +21 goal differential) in the USL regular season, finishing in second place in the Western Conference.  The club then won its first playoff game in history when they defeated Tulsa Roughnecks in the opening round.  Unfortunately the season came to end the next weekend when the club suffered a heartbreaking loss in penalties to OKC Energy.  The early end to the season can’t take away from the outstanding 2017 performance, which included a 14 game unbeaten streak to … Continue reading Top 10 2017 Texas Soccer Stories-#6 San Antonio FC’s defense leads club to first playoff win

Amateur, College Soccer, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, MASL Arena Soccer, MLS, National Soccer Hall of Fame, NWSL (Houston Dash), USL Championship, Youth11 Comments

Other Key Texas Soccer stories of 2017

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Next week I will roll out my choices for the Top 10 Texas soccer stories of 2017.  In compiling this list, it became apparent that there were far more than ten stories, both positive and adverse, that should be recognized.  This “other stories” list is certainly not comprehensive.  In a state as big as Texas it is hard to stay on top of everything that happens in the soccer landscape.  If there is anything I have missed after the Top 10 next week, please let me know and I will correct any obvious misses. Positive stories (in no particular order) … Continue reading Other Key Texas Soccer stories of 2017

Houston Dynamo, MLS, Youth2 Comments

2017 Texas Soccer Player and Coach of the Year, Professional, High Level Amateur, College and Youth Teams of the Year

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3rd post:  Before I roll out my picks for the Top-10 Texas soccer stories from 2017 next week, I  will share a few of Texas Soccer Journal’s favorites from the past year over the next few days. My picks for Texas Soccer player and coach of the year and the professional, high level adult amateur, college and youth teams of the year Player of the Year: Weston McKennie (FC Schalke 04) With all due respect to professional players at Texas clubs, it is hard to ignore the meteoric rise of Weston McKennie at FC Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga.  … Continue reading 2017 Texas Soccer Player and Coach of the Year, Professional, High Level Amateur, College and Youth Teams of the Year

FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, MLS, USL Championship3 Comments

Favorite Texas soccer media of 2017

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2nd post:  Before I roll out my picks for the Top-10 Texas soccer stories from 2017 next week, I  will share a few of Texas Soccer Journal’s favorites from the past year over the next few days. Favorite Texas soccer media of 2017: Favorite photo: The stoppage-time game winning goal from Detroit City FC’s Tyrone Mondi to send their side into the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) national semifinal round against Midland-Odessa FC Sockers.  This stunning photograph from Jon DeBoer (https://twitter.com/jondeboerphoto) is only indirectly related to a Texas team or match, but it was the best soccer photo I saw … Continue reading Favorite Texas soccer media of 2017

FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, MLS, USL Championship4 Comments

Favorite 2017 Texas Goal (s), Save and Comeback of the Year

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Before I roll out my picks for the Top-10 Texas soccer stories from 2017 next week, I  will share a few of Texas Soccer Journal’s favorites from the past year over the next few days. First up-Favorite Texas goal, save and comeback of 2017: Favorite goal (s):   FC Dallas Kellyn Acosta’s one-touch against Arabe Unido (February 23) and free kick against Pachuca (March 15)  during the ScotiaBank CONCACAF Champions League knock-out rounds in Frisco.  Favorite save: Houston Dynamo’s Tyler Deric’s MLS Save of the Week to deny the same Kellyn Acosta in the first Texas Derby match of the year … Continue reading Favorite 2017 Texas Goal (s), Save and Comeback of the Year