Soccer Watch
By Nick Barbaro, Fri., Oct. 18, 2019
Dare to Create, this Saturday at Native Hostel, is a major fundraiser for Upper Ninety, a youth development and educational program for teens in low-income Austin neighborhoods. They'll unveil a new mural the students created on the side of the hostel with the help of Erik Ross of HOPE Outdoor Gallery, and feature live art and music, bites and beverages, a silent auction, and more, inside in the ballroom. Tickets are $40, or sponsor a family to attend for $160 at www.upperninety.org/dare-to-create. Sat., Oct. 19, 5-8pm, at Native Hostel, 807 E. Fourth.
The Texas Longhorns are on the road this weekend at Baylor after dropping their second straight home game, 2-0 to #18 Oklahoma State on Friday. Then come the last home games of the regular season: Iowa State on Thu., Oct. 24, 7pm, and league-leading, 13th-ranked Texas Tech on Sun., Oct. 27, 1pm.
With just four days left in the USL Championship regular season, the Austin Bold could finish anywhere from fourth place and a home playoff game to 11th and out of the postseason altogether. They're playing in Salt Lake as we go to press Wednesday, then finishing up in Tacoma on Sat., Oct. 19.
MLS playoffs start this Sat.-Sun., Oct. 19-20, with six games on various ESPN networks.
Sat.: Atlanta United vs. New England at noon; Seattle Sounders vs. Dallas at 2:30pm; Toronto vs. DC United at 5pm; Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers at 9pm.
Sun.: Philadelphia vs. New York Red Bulls at 2pm; Minnesota vs. LA Galaxy at 7:30pm.
The U.S. men laid an egg in their opening week of play in the new CONCACAF Nations League, pounding Cuba 7-0 on Friday but then losing to Canada for the first time in 34 years, 2-0 in Toronto – a performance Soccer America called "among the worst in U.S. national team history." That leaves the U.S. needing to reverse that result in the return leg Nov. 15 in Orlando to advance... Up next: European Champions League group stage reaches its midpoint Tue.-Wed., Oct. 22-23, with games on TNT each day, 11:55am & 2pm.
