Jorge Muniz

2009 Second Round: Red cards abound as Aztex knock off eight-man El Paso Patriots

June 16, 2009 by

Nelson Field – Austin, Texas | 8:30 p.m.

Match Reports: Austin, Austin Statesman, El Paso Times

	2	FT	0
Ryan McMahen (Kyle Brown) 45’ Ciaran O’Brien 48’ SENT OFF – Sullivan Silva 71’				71’ Jorge Muniz – SENT OFF 71’ Mario Garcia – SENT OFF 77’ Jonathan Camarena – SENT OFF

Despite losing two key players to injury just before kickoff, the Austin Aztex overcame the PDL’s El Paso Patriots 2-0 in their Second Round US Open Cup contest.

Just moments before the game was set to begin, AJ Godbolt and Yordany Alvarez, both in the starting lineup for Austin, were forced out of the game with sudden injuries. Godbolt pulled a hamstring and was replaced by Zack Pope, and Alvarez injured his foot, forcing Ciaran O’Brien into service.

Austin scored what turned out to be the winning goal just before halftime, when Kyle Brown sent a pass to a streaking Ryan McMahen, who easily converted to make it 1-0. Just minutes after the restart O’Brien made the most of his last minute start, sending a shot from 30 yards out to double Austin’s advantage.

Tensions flared in the 71st minute when an attempted bicycle kick by Austin’s Sullivan Silva led to a shoving match with El Paso defenders. When the dust settled, El Paso’s Jorge Muniz and Mario Garcia, as well as Silva, were given their marching orders. A few minutes later, a late tackle from El Paso’s Jonathan Camarena on Jeff Harwell earned him a straight red card, leaving El Paso with eight players.

Austin, in their inaugural season, will host the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer at Nelson Field in the Third Round on June 30.

2009 First Round: El Paso Patriots continue opening round success, beat Sahuaros 2-1

June 9, 2009 by

Patriot Stadium – El Paso, Texas | 10 p.m.

Match Reports:

	2	FT	1
Rodrigo Morin 27’ Gerardo Moreira (A. Barrera) 59’				67’ Skelly Keller

The El Paso Patriots secured a Second Round spot in the US Open Cup tournament after clinching a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Sahuaros Tuesday night at Patriot Stadium.

Midfielder Rodrigo Morin opened the scoring in the 27th minute to give the Patriots a lead they would not relinquish, while Gerardo Moreira added another in the 59th minute after sending an Antonio Berrera pass into the back of the net.

Arizona cut the lead in half in the 67th minute when second half sub Skelley Keller scored for the Sahuaros, giving the road club a chance to come back with just over twenty minutes remaining. But the equalizer proved to be elusive, as goalkeeper Jorge Muniz walled up the Patriots net for the remainder of the match.

With the victory, the Patriots earned their third straight First Round victory (2005, 2007) and a ticket to a Tuesday night Texas showdown next week, where they will travel east to play the Austin Aztex of the USL First Division at 8:30 PM ET.

Lineups

El Paso – Jorge Muniz, Adrian Moreno (Mario Alvarez 54’), Esteban Palacios, Jair Olivarez, Diego Ruiz, Omar Tena (Mario Garcia 69’), Enrique Cervantes, Rodrigo Morin, Antonio Barrera, Edgar Mendoza, Gerardo Moreira (Jonathan Camardia 76’)

Arizona – Bradley Swenby, Carlos Gomez (Imad Id-Deen 63’), Jake Slemker, Stephen Hollinger, Nick Sykes, Davey Lopez, Mitchell Garcia, Zachary Thomas, Vlastimir Davidovic, Phillipe Garre (Vu Minh 69’), Dominic Papa (Skelly Keller 48’)

Cautions

El Paso – Tena 5’, Cervantes 52’, Palacios 78’

Arizona – Lopez 90’

Shots – ELP 15, AS 12

Saves – ELP 9, AS 8

Fouls – ELP 5, AS 3

Corners – ELP 10, AS 10

Offsides – ELP 3, AS 1

Att – 1,042

Referee – Carlos Salas

Assistants – Andrew Gage, Martina Rivas

2007 Second Round: Battery avoid another USL-1 upset, edge PDL’s Patriots 1-0

June 26, 2007 by

Anthony Catalano and Ian Bennett celebrate Catalano’s goal in Charleston’s 1-0 victory over El Paso. Photo: Charleston Battery

It took 74 minutes, but the Charleston Battery finally found the goal that would deny the El Paso Patriots another USL-1 scalp, beating the PDL side 1-0.

The Battery pressured El Paso all night, but the Patriots managed to survive most of the match with a clean sheet. In the first half, a header from Tim Karalexis found the post instead of the net. Mike Richardson also also found the woodwork with a shot from a Stephen Armstrong cross.

El Paso goalkeeper Jorge Muniz made several great saves in the second half to keep his team in the game, as well as several near misses from the Battery.

Charleston finally broke through with roughly fifteen minutes remaining. Lazo Alavanja swung a free kick that found Anthony Catalano, whose volley from inside the six-yard box beat a frozen Muniz.

El Paso very nearly sent the match to extra time in the dying seconds, however. After defender Brandon Curran slipped and fell, Omar Mora found himself one on one with Charleston GK Dusty Hudock. With Hudock closing in, Mora’s shot rolled just shy of the goalpost.

Scoring
(CHR) Anthony Catalano 75’