The United Soccer League has laid down the law, regarding the extracurricular activities between the Laredo Heat and the Rio Grande Valley Bravos that took place last week.
As far as the league is concerned, it has washed its hands of the mess and strongly urged for both teams to do the same.
Especially since the two clubs meet again tonight in Hidalgo, and once more in Laredo on July 9.
The activities came about after the Heat and Bravos’ last game in which Bravos coach Ismael “Moreira” Braga went over to the Heat bench and issued some words to the Heat’s Greg Mulamba.
A shoving match ensued and the league handed out suspension and fines after reviewing the video.
The coach was mad because he felt the tackle Mulamba had on Jesus Mireles, which broke his fibula was dirty. Mulamba was cleared of any wrongdoing by the league.
The Heat’s (4-1-6, 18 points) Mulamba, Eric Acevedo and Alejandro de La Fuente were suspended for tonight’s game and fined $25 each.
For the Bravos (4-3-4, 16), Braga is suspended three games and fined $150.
Back-up goalie Eric Chapa is suspended two games and fined $50.
The league also fined each team $250.
“Honestly, while I might not agree with all their decisions, it’s time to move on. I have to focus on preparing the team and look for solutions in how we can win tonight with the players we do have,” Heat coach Israel Collazo said.
“It will be a highly contested game, but I don’t think it will or should go beyond that. We are going to go out and play and be respectful.”
Fines were also handed out to Laredo’s Juan de Dios Ibarra ($50) and Esteban Bayona ($50).
Ibarra was fined for throwing a water bottle, while Bayona, who was on crutches, shouldn’t have been on the field at all, but still was.
In the Bravos corner, Alfonso Cavaso was fined $50, along with Edgar Cona, both for throwing water bottles.
Of note, is that the Bravos are a pay-for-play club, as they elected to pay their players for their services.
They’re the only team in the Mid-South Division to sign their players in exchange for money.
In their previous two games, the Heat has finished the contests with at least a man down. It has also rallied to tie the game in both matches.
Its first encounter was a 3-3 stalemate back in May, followed by the 1-1 tie two weeks ago.
While the Heat welcomes back defender Pedro Ramos and midfielder Luis Reyes, it loses a key figure in the midfield in Mulamba, who had emerged as the team’s go-to guy on offense, having scored three goals in the last three games.
Also missing the match is defender Acevedo.
The club is already without its top scorer in Bayona, leaving the offense a work in progress.
Helping alleviate the scoring woes is the return of Albert “Chiti” Escovar. Escovar logged some minutes in Friday’s contest, so his availability for a full game is still in question.
“It’s important to keep all your players on the field for continuity and familiarity’s sake, but you can’t predict this sort of thing. We have to adjust, adapt and look for what works for us,” Collazo said.
In its last game, the Heat moved Dionisio “Nicho” Infante back on top alongside Frank Lara.
Infante has some experience atop, so Escovar would be a welcome addition, being that he has played at the university level.
The more likely option is Luis Reyes as an offensive-minded midfielder, with Nicho alone at top.
Lara and Eusebio Garcia have seen some time at the forward position and should see some playing time.
Making an impact lately is midfielder Alex Hergert, who is likely going to called on again with Mulamba out.
The return of Ramos and Soamy Bautista allows for Danny Galvan to return to his natural position in the midfield.
“It’s going to be a difficult match and I expect a hostile welcome. It’s an extremely important match because we both need those three points that are up for grabs,” Collazo said.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The final verdict
The USL reviewed the video evidence and handed down the suspensions on Thursday.
The Heat suffers the most with two starters out for their game against the Bravos on Sunday.
That left Heat owner Shashi Vaswani hoping that their game video ran a little bit longer than normal.
"The unfortunate part is we sent them the tape, but our camera man shutdown when the final whistle blew and he missed the first thirty to forty seconds where it showed how it began . We have to move forward, they made their decision and we just have to move on," Vaswani said.
More importantly, the league resolved the issue of whether or not the tackle on Jesus Mireles was anything out of the ordinary. The verdict absolves Mulamba of any malicious intent.
The following is the USL's response to the clubs.
Gregory Mulamba (Laredo Heat) – 1 game suspension & $25 fine (7/28 @ Rio Grande Valley)
Mr. Mulamba becomes involved as a reaction to the physical contact initiated by Mr. Chapa. While Mr. Mulamba may have been acting in defense of Mr. Chapa, the evidence leads us to believe his actions are responsible for the escalation of the altercation.
o We have reviewed the tackle that Mr. Mulamba committed in the 30th minute against Jesus Mireles (including consolation) with USSF, and we feel that the tackle doesn’t warrant any disciplinary action.
Alejandro De La Fuente (Laredo Heat) – 1 game suspension & $25 fine (7/28 @ Rio Grande Valley)
o Mr. De La Fuente is identified by multiple witnesses as attacking/striking a member of the Rio Grande Valley.
Erick Acevedo (Laredo Heat) – 1 game suspension & $25 fine (7/28 @ Rio Grande Valley)
o Mr. Acevedo is identified by multiple witnesses as attacking/striking a member of the Rio Grande Valley.
Rio Grande Valley Bravos:
Ismael “Moreira” Braga (Rio Grande Valley Bravos) – 3 game suspension & $150 fine ( 6/27 vs. Austin, 6/28 vs. Laredo, 7/9 @ Laredo)
It is our assessment that Mr. Braga was the instigator of this incident as he approached the Laredo Heat player Gregory Mulamba after the conclusion of the match. His actions fall far below the level of professionalism we expect for the Head Coach.
It is clear from the video that Mr. Braga attempted to strike a member of the Laredo Heat during the beginning of the confrontation. Whether this was in defense of oneself is irrelevant, these actions are not acceptable by the Head Coach.
Several times Mr. Braga continued to enflame the situation by continuing verbally provoke the Laredo Heat members. It is our expectation, Mr. Braga (or any coach) to act in the manner of trying to diffuse the situation and gain control of his team.
Eric Chapa – (Rio Grande Valley Bravos) – 2 game suspension & $50 fine (6/27 vs. Austin & 6/28 vs. Laredo)
Mr. Chapa initiated the physical contact between the two teams as he struck Mr. Mulamba. This action served as the precipitator for others to become physically involved and for the situation to quickly deteriorate.
Mr. Chapa involvement continued throughout the entire situation, and as both teams looked to be settling down, Mr. Chapa attempted to strike another member of the Laredo Heat, again causing the confrontation to re-escalate.
_________________________________________________________________
So there you have it.
Of note, Mulamba is one yellow card away from receiving another suspension. He has four on the year.
As for coach Braga, the USL took a much different apporach back in 2005 when the then coach Eleazer Jepsen was suspended for three months after deliberatley bumpbing into a referee. It seems Braga was lucky that he actually didn't hit anybody during the altercation.
For that incident the USL had this to say.
The Heat suffers the most with two starters out for their game against the Bravos on Sunday.
That left Heat owner Shashi Vaswani hoping that their game video ran a little bit longer than normal.
"The unfortunate part is we sent them the tape, but our camera man shutdown when the final whistle blew and he missed the first thirty to forty seconds where it showed how it began . We have to move forward, they made their decision and we just have to move on," Vaswani said.
More importantly, the league resolved the issue of whether or not the tackle on Jesus Mireles was anything out of the ordinary. The verdict absolves Mulamba of any malicious intent.
The following is the USL's response to the clubs.
Gregory Mulamba (Laredo Heat) – 1 game suspension & $25 fine (7/28 @ Rio Grande Valley)
Mr. Mulamba becomes involved as a reaction to the physical contact initiated by Mr. Chapa. While Mr. Mulamba may have been acting in defense of Mr. Chapa, the evidence leads us to believe his actions are responsible for the escalation of the altercation.
o We have reviewed the tackle that Mr. Mulamba committed in the 30th minute against Jesus Mireles (including consolation) with USSF, and we feel that the tackle doesn’t warrant any disciplinary action.
Alejandro De La Fuente (Laredo Heat) – 1 game suspension & $25 fine (7/28 @ Rio Grande Valley)
o Mr. De La Fuente is identified by multiple witnesses as attacking/striking a member of the Rio Grande Valley.
Erick Acevedo (Laredo Heat) – 1 game suspension & $25 fine (7/28 @ Rio Grande Valley)
o Mr. Acevedo is identified by multiple witnesses as attacking/striking a member of the Rio Grande Valley.
Rio Grande Valley Bravos:
Ismael “Moreira” Braga (Rio Grande Valley Bravos) – 3 game suspension & $150 fine ( 6/27 vs. Austin, 6/28 vs. Laredo, 7/9 @ Laredo)
It is our assessment that Mr. Braga was the instigator of this incident as he approached the Laredo Heat player Gregory Mulamba after the conclusion of the match. His actions fall far below the level of professionalism we expect for the Head Coach.
It is clear from the video that Mr. Braga attempted to strike a member of the Laredo Heat during the beginning of the confrontation. Whether this was in defense of oneself is irrelevant, these actions are not acceptable by the Head Coach.
Several times Mr. Braga continued to enflame the situation by continuing verbally provoke the Laredo Heat members. It is our expectation, Mr. Braga (or any coach) to act in the manner of trying to diffuse the situation and gain control of his team.
Eric Chapa – (Rio Grande Valley Bravos) – 2 game suspension & $50 fine (6/27 vs. Austin & 6/28 vs. Laredo)
Mr. Chapa initiated the physical contact between the two teams as he struck Mr. Mulamba. This action served as the precipitator for others to become physically involved and for the situation to quickly deteriorate.
Mr. Chapa involvement continued throughout the entire situation, and as both teams looked to be settling down, Mr. Chapa attempted to strike another member of the Laredo Heat, again causing the confrontation to re-escalate.
_________________________________________________________________
So there you have it.
Of note, Mulamba is one yellow card away from receiving another suspension. He has four on the year.
As for coach Braga, the USL took a much different apporach back in 2005 when the then coach Eleazer Jepsen was suspended for three months after deliberatley bumpbing into a referee. It seems Braga was lucky that he actually didn't hit anybody during the altercation.
For that incident the USL had this to say.
The USL says, any contact with a referee is seen as ref assault, regardless of the severity of the aggression which means consequences are mandatory.
"It was a deliberate action by the coach, and based on that we had to give a minimum of three months in accordance to the soccer rule book. He feels awful and we know he is a class act, but we can't overlook the fact that this happened. The rule is put in place to protect the refs," USL vice president Tim Holt said by phone out of his Florida office Wednesday.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Heat, Bravos at odds over altercation
The Development tag for the Premier Development League isn't relegated only to the teams on the field.
At times, and more often than not, coaches and players take to heart the work, or lack thereof, from the referees calling the game.
Referees suffer the brunt of a team's and fan's aggression, and at times they might be right.
But what gets lost in translation is that officials often do a respectable job.
The simple truth, though, is that one wrong can outweigh five rights in the arena of athletics.
It all comes down to the eye of the beholder.
What the teams don't want to let happen, though, is for the league to become complacent if there is a real problem.
Friday's match between the Heat and Rio Grande Valley, which has been touted as a rivalry despite playing just twice, did have the ingredients necessary to actually turn the contest into a grudge match, similar to the rivalry between Laredo and El Paso.
"For a game to be a rivalry a classic, you have to actually play more then a couple of games.
Like the history we have with El Paso, we have four years playing against each other.
Right away they (Rio Grande) want to jump on board the rivalry angle.
If this is already a rivalry, then it seems we are setting quite a low standard for a match to be considered a rivalry," Heat head coach Israel Collazo said.
Making the Heat and Bravos contest interesting is that the Bravo fans actually make a difference since the drive to Laredo is not too lengthy, and on Saturday, there was a loud contingent supporting the club.
From a scene straight from a WWF script, soon after the Bravos got on the board first on a nice goal by Salvador Luna, Luna immediately went into the classic character and paraded around the field, milking every second for an in-your-face celebration.
All this tends to aid the rivalry angle, given time. What ensued after the quick goal was a frenetic and energetic game.
At first, the referee seemed content to let the clubs play.
Soon after, however, the fouls came at shorter intervals and tempers began to flare.
A ticking time bomb was lit midway though the first half when the Bravos' Jesus Mireles was fouled by the Heat's Greg Mulamba.
Mireles, a 17-year-old star from Class 5A state champ Hidalgo, is now, as a result, forced to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines with a broken leg.
What took place in that play is digitally recorded in the game video.
As of Sunday, no one had taken a look to clear the air.
In the Bravos' eyes, Mulamba, according to what was told to the McAllen Monitor, jumped on Mireles' back and tackled him to the ground.
"What bothers me is that the people that listen to their claims is going to believe that.
People have to be more responsible with what they write.
I saw that play unfold, and if Mulamba did go out of his way to hurt the player I would be the first to discipline him.
The fact of the matter is that Mulamba went for the ball and the players foot got his foot stuck on the field," Collazo said.
The snowball effect was in full force as the game took a more physical tone.
By the time the game finished, two Heat players, Pedro Ramos and Luis Reyes, were ejected, along with one Bravo, Adrian Vazquez.
There were a total of nine yellow cards handed out, five to the Bravos and the rest to the Heat.
Bravos coach Ismael Moreira Braga wasn't pleased with what happened and was less pleased with the work the referees had done.
The league is currently reviewing the postgame altercation that involved several Heat players and Bravos players, along with coach Braga, who can be cited for irresponsible behavior for allegedly talking to Mulamba after the game.
"Honestly, the league should address them.
They came unto the field to provoke us, starting with their coach.
I don't want to talk bad about anybody, but the league has suspended me for less.
The league has to take care of situations like this, but if they don't well there is nothing I or anyone else can do," Collazo said.
If the guillotine falls, it should be known today what actions are going to be taken.
The Heat is already hurting with Soamy Bautista and Albert Escovar out with injuries.
Now Ramos and Reyes are suspended for one game, and the club might find itself with fewer players if the league takes action.
Also up in the air is the health of its goal leader, Esteban Bayona, who was hurt in the game against Dallas Fort Worth on Friday.
All this only benefits the Austin Aztex (6-1-3, 21 points), who share the Mid-South Division lead with El Paso (7-4-0, 21). The Aztex travel to Laredo on Friday.
The Heat (4-1-5, 17) is currently in third place, one point ahead of Rio Grande (4-3-4, 16) and three in front of West Texas (4-3-2, 14).
Austin and Laredo have played only 10 games, while Rio Grande and El Paso have 11. West Texas has played only nine games.
At times, and more often than not, coaches and players take to heart the work, or lack thereof, from the referees calling the game.
Referees suffer the brunt of a team's and fan's aggression, and at times they might be right.
But what gets lost in translation is that officials often do a respectable job.
The simple truth, though, is that one wrong can outweigh five rights in the arena of athletics.
It all comes down to the eye of the beholder.
What the teams don't want to let happen, though, is for the league to become complacent if there is a real problem.
Friday's match between the Heat and Rio Grande Valley, which has been touted as a rivalry despite playing just twice, did have the ingredients necessary to actually turn the contest into a grudge match, similar to the rivalry between Laredo and El Paso.
"For a game to be a rivalry a classic, you have to actually play more then a couple of games.
Like the history we have with El Paso, we have four years playing against each other.
Right away they (Rio Grande) want to jump on board the rivalry angle.
If this is already a rivalry, then it seems we are setting quite a low standard for a match to be considered a rivalry," Heat head coach Israel Collazo said.
Making the Heat and Bravos contest interesting is that the Bravo fans actually make a difference since the drive to Laredo is not too lengthy, and on Saturday, there was a loud contingent supporting the club.
From a scene straight from a WWF script, soon after the Bravos got on the board first on a nice goal by Salvador Luna, Luna immediately went into the classic character and paraded around the field, milking every second for an in-your-face celebration.
All this tends to aid the rivalry angle, given time. What ensued after the quick goal was a frenetic and energetic game.
At first, the referee seemed content to let the clubs play.
Soon after, however, the fouls came at shorter intervals and tempers began to flare.
A ticking time bomb was lit midway though the first half when the Bravos' Jesus Mireles was fouled by the Heat's Greg Mulamba.
Mireles, a 17-year-old star from Class 5A state champ Hidalgo, is now, as a result, forced to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines with a broken leg.
What took place in that play is digitally recorded in the game video.
As of Sunday, no one had taken a look to clear the air.
In the Bravos' eyes, Mulamba, according to what was told to the McAllen Monitor, jumped on Mireles' back and tackled him to the ground.
"What bothers me is that the people that listen to their claims is going to believe that.
People have to be more responsible with what they write.
I saw that play unfold, and if Mulamba did go out of his way to hurt the player I would be the first to discipline him.
The fact of the matter is that Mulamba went for the ball and the players foot got his foot stuck on the field," Collazo said.
The snowball effect was in full force as the game took a more physical tone.
By the time the game finished, two Heat players, Pedro Ramos and Luis Reyes, were ejected, along with one Bravo, Adrian Vazquez.
There were a total of nine yellow cards handed out, five to the Bravos and the rest to the Heat.
Bravos coach Ismael Moreira Braga wasn't pleased with what happened and was less pleased with the work the referees had done.
The league is currently reviewing the postgame altercation that involved several Heat players and Bravos players, along with coach Braga, who can be cited for irresponsible behavior for allegedly talking to Mulamba after the game.
"Honestly, the league should address them.
They came unto the field to provoke us, starting with their coach.
I don't want to talk bad about anybody, but the league has suspended me for less.
The league has to take care of situations like this, but if they don't well there is nothing I or anyone else can do," Collazo said.
If the guillotine falls, it should be known today what actions are going to be taken.
The Heat is already hurting with Soamy Bautista and Albert Escovar out with injuries.
Now Ramos and Reyes are suspended for one game, and the club might find itself with fewer players if the league takes action.
Also up in the air is the health of its goal leader, Esteban Bayona, who was hurt in the game against Dallas Fort Worth on Friday.
All this only benefits the Austin Aztex (6-1-3, 21 points), who share the Mid-South Division lead with El Paso (7-4-0, 21). The Aztex travel to Laredo on Friday.
The Heat (4-1-5, 17) is currently in third place, one point ahead of Rio Grande (4-3-4, 16) and three in front of West Texas (4-3-2, 14).
Austin and Laredo have played only 10 games, while Rio Grande and El Paso have 11. West Texas has played only nine games.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Heat salvages a point against Tornados
The Dallas Fort Worth Tornados didn't look like a team that came into Thursday night's contest struggling, while the Laredo Heat (4-1-4, 16 points) didn't offer its sharpest performance at home as
it salvaged a point with a 2-2 tie against the Tornados (1-5-3, 6) at the Texas A&M International University Soccer Complex.
The Tornados were seven minutes away, six compensation, from earning their second victory of the season.
Rescuing the Heat were the duo if Dionisio "Nicho" Infante and Greg Mulamba.
In the 89th minute, Infante, who had worked his way untouched down the midfield, placed a perfect pass to Mulamba just outside the box.
Mulamba then turned around and sent the ball past the Tornados goalie Maros Valko for the equalizer.
"This game was a must win for us, but we are appreciative of getting at least one point," Heat goalkeeper Ryan Cooper said.
The Heat stayed undefeated at home despite being out shot nine to seven and for the most part outplayed after a strong start to the contest in which the Heat dominated the first five minutes in which several shots on goals came and went.
The missed opportunities came back to haunt the club, no opportunity better then the one Esteban Bayona had in the opening minute.
After a miscue in the defense, Bayona intercepted the pass and raced towards the goalie for a one-on-one situation. His shot went just wide of the far left post.
The Tornados then shored up their defense and played the Heat evenly before Bayona finally managed to knock in the opening score in the 41 minute.
It was Bayona's fourth goal with the Heat.
Bayona left the after injuring his ankle late in the game, leaving the team thin at the forward's position.
His services for tonight's contest against the Rio Grande Bravos at TAMIU might not be available.
The Tornados controlled the contest in the second half, and Paulo Da Silva knocked in the equalizer in the 58th minute with a laser shot from a 25-yard free kick.
They added the go-ahead goal via another set play, this time on a corner kick in the 79th minute when Stephen McCarthy slid to knock in a goal from about three yards out.
"There was some miscommunication with the defenders, and nobody could clear it," Cooper explained.
The Tornado's corner came about after they nearly knocked in their second goal a couple of second earlier.
A Tornado player broke away in the seventh minute, but his shot bounced off the crossbar and just outside the goal line.
Note: The Heat will host the Bravos tonight at 8:15 p.m. at the TAMIU Soccer Complex.
Anyone who purchased a ticket for Thursday night's game gets in tonight for free.
it salvaged a point with a 2-2 tie against the Tornados (1-5-3, 6) at the Texas A&M International University Soccer Complex.
The Tornados were seven minutes away, six compensation, from earning their second victory of the season.
Rescuing the Heat were the duo if Dionisio "Nicho" Infante and Greg Mulamba.
In the 89th minute, Infante, who had worked his way untouched down the midfield, placed a perfect pass to Mulamba just outside the box.
Mulamba then turned around and sent the ball past the Tornados goalie Maros Valko for the equalizer.
"This game was a must win for us, but we are appreciative of getting at least one point," Heat goalkeeper Ryan Cooper said.
The Heat stayed undefeated at home despite being out shot nine to seven and for the most part outplayed after a strong start to the contest in which the Heat dominated the first five minutes in which several shots on goals came and went.
The missed opportunities came back to haunt the club, no opportunity better then the one Esteban Bayona had in the opening minute.
After a miscue in the defense, Bayona intercepted the pass and raced towards the goalie for a one-on-one situation. His shot went just wide of the far left post.
The Tornados then shored up their defense and played the Heat evenly before Bayona finally managed to knock in the opening score in the 41 minute.
It was Bayona's fourth goal with the Heat.
Bayona left the after injuring his ankle late in the game, leaving the team thin at the forward's position.
His services for tonight's contest against the Rio Grande Bravos at TAMIU might not be available.
The Tornados controlled the contest in the second half, and Paulo Da Silva knocked in the equalizer in the 58th minute with a laser shot from a 25-yard free kick.
They added the go-ahead goal via another set play, this time on a corner kick in the 79th minute when Stephen McCarthy slid to knock in a goal from about three yards out.
"There was some miscommunication with the defenders, and nobody could clear it," Cooper explained.
The Tornado's corner came about after they nearly knocked in their second goal a couple of second earlier.
A Tornado player broke away in the seventh minute, but his shot bounced off the crossbar and just outside the goal line.
Note: The Heat will host the Bravos tonight at 8:15 p.m. at the TAMIU Soccer Complex.
Anyone who purchased a ticket for Thursday night's game gets in tonight for free.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Heat ready to host two pivotal games
With only eight games remaining in the regular season, the Laredo Heat can no longer afford to let any more points slip away.
Six potential points are up for grabs this week, as the Heat host the Dallas-Fort Worth Tornados tonight and the Rio Grande Valley Bravos on Friday.
Both games are at 8:15 p.m.
The club's veterans and rookies have now reached a point where their inexperience with one another is no longer a valid obstacle.
They've played and practiced long enough to finally begin showing signs of what the team can accomplish.
Essentially, it's the time of the season where every team hopes to begin ironing out the nuances as they strive to make a playoff run.
"There will always be things to tinker with here and there," Heat coach Israel Collazo said.
"What we need to do is make sure we stay the course for 90-plus minutes.
It does you no good to play 80 solid minutes and lose in the final ten.
"The new players are learning game by game.
You don't start off in this league knowing what you have to do or is expected of you."
The Heat (4-1-3, 15 points) looks to maintain its current course and stay in contention for another division title.
"These next two games at home are crucial, and we're striving for the six points," Collazo said.
The Tornados (1-5-2) come to town on Thursday when they'll look for their first win in over a month.
The Tornados' last victory came on May 16 against the Houston Leones.
Since then, the club has been on a downward spiral where they've been shut out three times and outscored 15-6.
On the road the Tornados are 1-3-0 and have been outscored 9-5.
The Heat, on the other hand, is perfect in three games at home and has scored five goals and allowed one.
The fact that the Tornados are playing poorly isn't offering the Heat any consolation as Laredo managed two ties and one win against the Houston Leones, the division's last place team.
The two ties were on the road.
"Playing at home is always an advantage since we know the ins and outs of the field," Collazo said.
"When we hit the road, the fans aren't really what worries us, but the referees since they tend to have a tendency to favor the home team."
The Tornados' leading player is Daniel Summers with three goals.
Their goalkeeper Janrai Gravely hasn't played too well, allowing 2.869 goals on average.
On Friday, the Heat host the Rio Grande Valley Bravos (3-3-3, 12) who are 2-2-2 on the road, but have scored 11 goals and allowed nine.
The Bravos have lost two of their past three games, with their last game being a 5-2 rout of Dallas.
Their top scorer is Salvador Luna with five goals followed by Jesus Mireles with two goals.
Their goalkeeper Juan Garcia has allowed 1.28 goals against per game.
Note: With the purchase of a ticket for tonight's game, fans will receive a ticket free of charge for Friday's game.
General admission tickets are $5.00 for adults, and kids 12 and under get in free.
VIP Area tickets are priced at $20.
Six potential points are up for grabs this week, as the Heat host the Dallas-Fort Worth Tornados tonight and the Rio Grande Valley Bravos on Friday.
Both games are at 8:15 p.m.
The club's veterans and rookies have now reached a point where their inexperience with one another is no longer a valid obstacle.
They've played and practiced long enough to finally begin showing signs of what the team can accomplish.
Essentially, it's the time of the season where every team hopes to begin ironing out the nuances as they strive to make a playoff run.
"There will always be things to tinker with here and there," Heat coach Israel Collazo said.
"What we need to do is make sure we stay the course for 90-plus minutes.
It does you no good to play 80 solid minutes and lose in the final ten.
"The new players are learning game by game.
You don't start off in this league knowing what you have to do or is expected of you."
The Heat (4-1-3, 15 points) looks to maintain its current course and stay in contention for another division title.
"These next two games at home are crucial, and we're striving for the six points," Collazo said.
The Tornados (1-5-2) come to town on Thursday when they'll look for their first win in over a month.
The Tornados' last victory came on May 16 against the Houston Leones.
Since then, the club has been on a downward spiral where they've been shut out three times and outscored 15-6.
On the road the Tornados are 1-3-0 and have been outscored 9-5.
The Heat, on the other hand, is perfect in three games at home and has scored five goals and allowed one.
The fact that the Tornados are playing poorly isn't offering the Heat any consolation as Laredo managed two ties and one win against the Houston Leones, the division's last place team.
The two ties were on the road.
"Playing at home is always an advantage since we know the ins and outs of the field," Collazo said.
"When we hit the road, the fans aren't really what worries us, but the referees since they tend to have a tendency to favor the home team."
The Tornados' leading player is Daniel Summers with three goals.
Their goalkeeper Janrai Gravely hasn't played too well, allowing 2.869 goals on average.
On Friday, the Heat host the Rio Grande Valley Bravos (3-3-3, 12) who are 2-2-2 on the road, but have scored 11 goals and allowed nine.
The Bravos have lost two of their past three games, with their last game being a 5-2 rout of Dallas.
Their top scorer is Salvador Luna with five goals followed by Jesus Mireles with two goals.
Their goalkeeper Juan Garcia has allowed 1.28 goals against per game.
Note: With the purchase of a ticket for tonight's game, fans will receive a ticket free of charge for Friday's game.
General admission tickets are $5.00 for adults, and kids 12 and under get in free.
VIP Area tickets are priced at $20.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Heat amidst many
Laredo stands at the mid-point of the Premier Development League season and it finds itself amidst a bit of company.
The Heat is coming off a disappointing game against the winless Houston Leones, in which they tied 1-1.
"We're a little bit irked about it (tie). It was a very winnable match and a mental lapse late in the game cost us two points.
That's in the past now, what we gotta do now is focus on what lies ahead," Heat coach Israel Collazo said.
At the top of the division, for the moment, are the Austin Aztex (5-1-3, 18 points) who showed that West Texas (4-2-2, 14) wasn't the only team enjoying a non-loss streak in the Mid South division.
The Aztex club is on an eight game roll, after dropping its season opener against the Heat.
The Aztex won their last two games, first against the Sockers, ending their streak, and then against the El Paso Patriots (5-4-0, 15) to take over the top spot of the division.
The Heat (4-1-3, 15) finds itself in a tie with the Patriots for second place, but with a game in hand. They are on a six game streak without a loss.
Behind the Heat are the Sockers and the Rio Grande Valley Bravos (3-3-3, 12). All five teams are vying for three postseason spots.
The PDL changed its playoff format for the season.
Instead of the top two teams advancing, the top three move on, with the first place team hosting a mini tournament.
In which, the second and third place teams square off and the winner plays the first place team for the division title.
Then the Southern (where the Heat belong) and Western conference divisional winners play for the conference title and the winner faces the Northern and Eastern conference survivor in the Championship game.
Back in the Mid South division, the bottom two teams in the Dallas Forth Worth Tornados (1-5-2, 5) and the Houston Leones (0-6-3, 3) need a dramatic change of fortunes to at least dip a toe into postseason waters.
Laredo, West Texas and Dallas have the benefit of having played one less game than the rest of the division.
The Heat also has the fortune to play their next three games at home.
Where they have yet to lose a game in three tries and has knocked in five goals, while allowing only one.
Up first are back-to-back games, beginning on Thursday against Dallas and concluding on Friday against Rio Grande.
The Heat is coming off a disappointing game against the winless Houston Leones, in which they tied 1-1.
"We're a little bit irked about it (tie). It was a very winnable match and a mental lapse late in the game cost us two points.
That's in the past now, what we gotta do now is focus on what lies ahead," Heat coach Israel Collazo said.
At the top of the division, for the moment, are the Austin Aztex (5-1-3, 18 points) who showed that West Texas (4-2-2, 14) wasn't the only team enjoying a non-loss streak in the Mid South division.
The Aztex club is on an eight game roll, after dropping its season opener against the Heat.
The Aztex won their last two games, first against the Sockers, ending their streak, and then against the El Paso Patriots (5-4-0, 15) to take over the top spot of the division.
The Heat (4-1-3, 15) finds itself in a tie with the Patriots for second place, but with a game in hand. They are on a six game streak without a loss.
Behind the Heat are the Sockers and the Rio Grande Valley Bravos (3-3-3, 12). All five teams are vying for three postseason spots.
The PDL changed its playoff format for the season.
Instead of the top two teams advancing, the top three move on, with the first place team hosting a mini tournament.
In which, the second and third place teams square off and the winner plays the first place team for the division title.
Then the Southern (where the Heat belong) and Western conference divisional winners play for the conference title and the winner faces the Northern and Eastern conference survivor in the Championship game.
Back in the Mid South division, the bottom two teams in the Dallas Forth Worth Tornados (1-5-2, 5) and the Houston Leones (0-6-3, 3) need a dramatic change of fortunes to at least dip a toe into postseason waters.
Laredo, West Texas and Dallas have the benefit of having played one less game than the rest of the division.
The Heat also has the fortune to play their next three games at home.
Where they have yet to lose a game in three tries and has knocked in five goals, while allowing only one.
Up first are back-to-back games, beginning on Thursday against Dallas and concluding on Friday against Rio Grande.
Heat Youth Soccer Club
The Laredo Heat Soccer Club has announced their 2009 Summer Soccer Camp Dates.
Kids, this is your opportunity to improve your soccer skills, develop new techniques, make new friends and meet the Laredo Heat soccer players up close and personal.
Camp Details:
- Session Two: Monday, June 22, to Thursday, June 25, from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Both sessions will take place at the St. Patrick’s Church soccer field and covered gym area. St. Patrick’s Church is located at 555 East Del Mar Blvd.
The cost for each session is $75.00 per camper and it will include soccer training sessions, a water bottle, a soccer ball and a camp T-shirt.
The soccer camp will be available to boys and girls who have reached the age of five prior to the start of the camps and not older than 12 years of age at the time of registration
For additional information on the Laredo Heat Soccer Club, please visit our website at www.laredoheatsc.com or call the Heat office at 723 – 4700.
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