By NINO CARDENAS
LAREDO MORNING TIMES
With the playoffs rapidly approaching, it’s clear that the Laredo Heat can ill afford to stumble down the stretch.
The Heat (5-3-4, 19 points) is likely to be in a three or even four-way battle for the second and final playoff spot, as the Austin Aztex (8-2-1, 25) have what appears to be an insurmountable lead in the Mid South Division race.
Things don’t get any easier for Laredo as three of its final four games, including tonight’s match against division leader Austin, are against playoff contenders in the El Paso Patriots (6-4-3, 21 points) and the New Orleans Shell Shockers (4-5-3, 15).
The Heat plays Austin at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Round Rock.
“We’re not stressing out,” Heat head coach Israel Collazo said. “We’re working toward getting better. At the moment we are focused on Austin, a team that we are as good if not better then, things just haven’t gone our way lately.
“We are going to go and try to play our game, fundamentally sound and professionally and hopefully, God willing, we come out with a win.”
El Paso takes the weekend off at perhaps the wrong time. The Patriots were on a four-game winning streak in which they knocked off Austin and Laredo. They resume play against another surging team in the Mississippi Brilla (5-4-2, 17 points) next weekend.
The Brilla are playing two key games over the weekend at Houston (3-7-1, 10 points) and at Austin (8-2-1, 25).
New Orleans still has its name in the mix and plays its last four games in the comforts at home, starting Saturday versus Dallas-Fort Worth (4-7-3, 15).
The Tornados have only two games left in the season and are all but eliminated from playoff contention.
The Aztex have five games remaining with only two at home in which they can look to clinch the division by winning three of the last five games.
All signs point to Austin wrapping up the division in the upcoming weeks as El Paso and Laredo need to win out to have a chance.
The race is on for second place as the Patriots have three games remaining and all are against the top teams left in the Brilla, Laredo and Austin.
El Paso’s only chance to catch Austin is if the Patriots win out and the Aztex only manage one win in their final five games.
Laredo, on the other hand, needs to win out and have Austin win only twice more for the decision to go to goal differential between the two clubs if Laredo beats the Aztex at their house tonight.
Simply put, play your game and control your own destiny, Collazo said.
“The pressure is always going to be there, the thing is how one handles the pressure,” Collazo said. “Some people handle it well and others don’t. We know that we just have to continue playing our game and stay focused on us and what we can do, not what other’s need to do in order to help us.”
Helping the Heat’s chances of getting the always welcomed three points for a victory is the return of striker Felix Garcia, who leads the team with six goals, and defender Oliver Mulamba. Both players served a one-game suspension last week due to card infractions.
Sitting this one out, though, is the author of last week’s lone goal against Houston, Raul Quinones, who was red carded in the 90th minute.
In last week’s game, three new players dressed up for Laredo. Filling in from the practice squad were Pedro Ramos Del Llano, Raul Perreira and Kamah Duwana.
“We had to use their services and they played well,” Collazo said. “Everybody has to be at 100 percent because at any given moment you might be needed. If you show me that you’re better prepared than the next guy, then you’re playing. There is no seniority or guaranteed spots.”
The Heat is winless in its last three games, while the Aztex have won two of their last three. They lost for just the second time this season against El Paso 2-1 last week.
Finding ways to score against Austin isn’t an easy task, they have, by far, the best defense in the division and in the entire Premier Development League.
Their offense isn’t too shabby, either, with a division-leading 19 goals. At home in Dragon Stadium in Round Rock, the Aztex are 5-1-0 and have 12 of their 19 goals and allowed two of the four.
Laredo’s defense has been flimsy of late, allowing five goals in its last three games after allowing only six in nine previous contests. Offensively, the Heat has knocked in 18 goals total this season and three in the last three games.
“It is a 100 percent change from last year where at this stage we were thinking about who we would play in the playoffs,” Collazo said. “Now we are just thinking about qualifying and getting a chance, God willing, to defend our championship.
“We are going to go out there and play with our heart and soul. It’s not over yet; there are four games left.”
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