Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Shutout Brings Points Record

Magical Season Continues in 6-0 Win Over Pennsylvania

Obafemi Martins capped off another record breaking week for the Alamo City Battle as the club took down Stoners FC by a 6-0 score line.  The match was book ended by the two superstars as Henry got on the board early before Martins slammed the door shut.  The win gives Alamo City the single season points record and puts them in prime position to not only add too that record tally, but also capture the most wins in a BSL season as there are still two matches left to play.  The Battle will go on the road to face Alliance this week and then close out the regular season at home against Orange County where the Battle will aim to avenge their only loss of the season to date.

It has been a very fluid season for Alamo City in terms of the roster.  While the core of the club has remained intact (Henry, Barnes, Cooper, Nielsen, Barklage), there have been many new faces added as well as a pretty big risk taken.  One of the biggest moves was the trade that brought Will Johnson to the club.  Add that to the fantastic rewards reaped from taking chances on Olmes Garcia and Diego Fagundez, and the club has captured lightning in a bottle more than a few times.  The big news of course, was the signing of Obafemi Martins.  The Battle showed though, that they're dead set on being the top team in the league as they took a chance and claimed the BSL rights to Diego Forlan (despite uncertainty over his signing being completed).  It remains to be seen if the Battle were right in their assessment of Mauro Diaz and Bradley Wright Phillips.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Week 20

Thierry Henry
Steven Caldwell
Olmes Garcia
Bradley Wright Phillips
Brandon Barklage
Jordan Harvey
Giles Barnes
Obafemi Martins
Diego Fagundez
Will Johnson

Jimmy Nielsen

Kenny Cooper
Mauro Diaz
Diego Forlan

Clint Irwin

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Honors Trophy Comes to San Antonio

3-2 Win Over Rival Gateway United Gives Alamo City the 2013 BSL Honors Trophy

The script was about as perfect as you could get.  This past weekend Alamo City claimed the 2013 Honors Trophy and became only the second BSL club to win all three major trophies.  The win that clinched it came against fellow original BSL member Gateway United.  Going back to last year's race for the trophy shows why this was a nice twist of fate for the Battle.  Having already clinched the Founder's Cup, the win only furthered the lead at the top of that table for Alamo City.  There are still a few matches left in the season and the club isn't set to relax.  There is still plenty to play for in regards to BSL records as well as the playoff race.  The Battle still have a match against second place Orange County that could end up determining playoff seeding.   





Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Week 19 - Gateway to Greatness

Week 19 Lineup VS Gateway:

Chris Klute      
Will Johnson           
Thierry Henry    
Steven Caldwell     
Kenny Cooper     
Olmes Garcia     
Diego Fagundez    
Brandon Barklage
Obafemi Martins     
Jordan Harvey    

Clint Irwin        
 
Giles Barnes                
Andy Driver
Diego Forlan
   
Jimmy Nielsen     

Monday, July 15, 2013

Transaction

Pending league approval, the Alamo City Soccer Club releases Adam Jahn (SJ) and signs Steven Caldwell (TOR).

The Wait is Over - Alamo City Claims First Ever BSL Classic and Clinches Founder's Cup


Capital District's Stranglehold on Rivalry Broken in 6-5 Slugfest

It took everything they had, but the Alamo City Soccer Club was finally able to take down their long time rivals Capital District.  In their first win over the Gunner since the Inaugural BSL Cup match, the Battle positioned themselves for an unprecedented run to finish the season.  Everything had come to this match.  The 2nd leg of the BSL Classic would either catapult the Battle towards making a run at history, or send them crashing back down to earth with a hard dose of reality.  Tied at 2-2 after the first leg of the cup, Alamo City was quite wary of this match.  The Gunners had been steam rolling the second half of the schedule to this point and would have liked nothing more than to once again deflate the Battle's season.  It didn't help that this exact scenario has played out year after year and proven to be costly for the Battle.  Though, just 15 minutes into the match Alamo City captain and club talisman Theirry Henry made a statement that would set the tone for an intense, nail biting finish to this year's iteration of the BSL Classic. 

"It was just one of those matches, and for once it was against Capital District," said Henry.  "Everything just opened up and we were able to all flow together.  It was very important to go out and set the tone for the match.  We've had years of frustration built after so many close calls against them and not being able to finish and get the result.  There was so much riding on this match for us, and we came through.  We broke through."

That break through was led by Henry himself.  In that first 15 minutes he notched a goal and an assist (his goal aided by Brandon Barklage's assist) and the Battle were off and running.  By the time Henry was done playing the match was already 4-1 in favor of Alamo City (it should have been 5-0 but Henry gave way to Capital District's Peguy Luyindula on a PK).  It looked as though this would be another run away from the Battle but the Gunners had other ideas.  Immediately they responded as Kei Kamara got an assisted and John Busch recorded a clean sheet.  That's when Diego Valeri did his best Henry impression and looked to pull the Gunner's ahead in the match with his own two assists.  The Battle had the answers though as Olmes Garcia found the net and Jimmy Nielsen recorded a clean sheet of his own.  The final few minutes of the match ticked off with nothing coming of either sides remaining players.

With the 6-5 win the Battle lay claim to the 2013 BSL Classic and also clinched the 2013 Founder's Cup.  The original members of the BSL just haven't been able to keep up as the Battle have averaged 5.4 points per match in Founder's Cup play and clinched the cup with several matches still to be played.  With the results this weekend the club has now taken three pieces of hardware this season (Freedom Cup already won).  "It's been fantastic so far" concluded Henry, "but we're far from done."

Friday, July 12, 2013

The Classic


Week 18 Brings the Second Leg of the BSL Classic to San Antonio

Must win.  Losing is not an option.  Nothing else matters.

Quite a bit can be said about the 2013 season in regards to the Alamo City Battle.  As it stands it is primed to be the best season in club history regardless of the remaining outcomes.  The club is chasing all sorts of records and every piece of hardware they can possibly win in a given season. Trying to close out the job starts this weekend, at home.  With 5 weeks left in the BSL Regular Season the Battle are chasing  The Honors Trophy, The Founder's Cup, The BSL Classic, and several league records.  The league records ?  Many of them reside with Capital District (most league wins, most points in a season, most total league wins, and most total sanctioned cups).

"It always boils down to this.  Everything you ever play for has to be taken.  In this long running rivalry, we've only taken things one time ... ever."

And so, the quest for BSL history truly begins with the biggest obstacle that the Alamo City Soccer Club has ever faced.  Capital District comes to San Antonio with every intention and every belief that they can sabotage the best season the Battle have ever had.  "They can turn it sour very quickly.  We've accomplished the first goal, we're in the playoffs.  That's not enough though.  The club we are isn't properly represented by the hardware on display at Stone Oak Park.  That must change."

Week 18 Lineup VS Capital District

Giles Barnes                
Andy Driver            
Thierry Henry (C)    
Adam Jahn        
Kenny Cooper     
Olmes Garcia     
Diego Fagundez    
Brandon Barklage 
Obafemi Martins 
Jordan Harvey    

Jimmy Nielsen       

Chris Klute
Will Johnson
Diego Forlan
   
Clint Irwin      

Friday, July 5, 2013

Transaction

The Alamo City Soccer Club, pending league approval, releases Jacob Peterson (SKC) and adds Chris Klute (COL).


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Week 17

Kenny Cooper
Obafemi Martins
Thierry Henry
Adam Jahn
Walter Martinez
Diego Fagundez
Jordan Harvey
Andrew Driver
Giles Barnes
Will Johnson

Clinton Irwin

Olmes Garcia
Jacob Peterson
Brandon Barklage

Jimmy Nielsen