Long and Winding Ride has Alamo City in Top Form

Battle Lead BSL With Two Matches Remaining

The season has been a long and trying one, but the Alamo City Battle find themselves in great position to close out the season. The playoffs have been clinched, the Major's Cup has been qualified for, and the Honors Trophy is within reach. All that remains is to close the deal. "We're in a position that we always figured we'd be in but haven't yet had the opportunity to experience. Yes, we've taken home the biggest prize but we've built this franchise to be among the best in the world. Taking home the Honors Trophy would be a giant step in making that a reality."

The 4-1 dominance of previous league leading Pennsylvania to give Alamo City a 3 point lead with 2 matches remaining sent a message on the heals of two very poignant matches prior. Gateway humbled Alamo two weeks ago with an 8 point outburst but the Battle showed their resiliency by bouncing back to take a 7-5 decision against Burud Town. The win against Pennsylvania followed to give Alamo an impressive 9 wins out of their last 10 matches. "Several things are within striking distance, and we're going to go full throttle here at the end. Plenty of hardware is there for the taking, but we've got to finish."

Win Streak Now at 4 - Battle Reclaim Top of the Table

Battle Continue Hot Streak With 5-3 Win Over Gold Coast

The addition of Felipe Martins has provided immediate dividends for the Alamo City Battle. In his two matches this week Martins hit for 3pts, which gave him 2 in BSL play (remember, the league continues to penalize players for playing in multiple matches rather than awarding them all of the points they score). He, along with Boyd and Johnson paced Alamo City to ensure that Kevin Hartman's clean sheet was put too good use. "It was an all around team effort this week and we've managed to bounce back exactly in the fashion we needed after our very poor spell to end the first half of the season."

Indeed it has been a nice rebound, especially when you factor in that leading scorer Thierry Henry has been largely absent from the resurgence. While he's been out healing an injury the rest of the Alamo City Battle Soccer Club has stepped up to ensure that the club has a very clear shot at achieving their goals as the second half of the season plays out. "We're 3-0 to start Major's Cup Qualifying, we've won four in a row and reclaimed the top of the table, and we've positioned ourselves to finish strong and claim a playoff spot. We just need to keep playing as we have the past few weeks." That should prove an easier task now that Thierry Henry is back in the line up. The club will look to make it a 5 spot as they take on Gold Coast this week. Even more additions were made as Jacob Peterson and Andy Gruenebaum were added and Kelyn Rowe and Miller Bolanos were dropped from the squad.

Week 15 Roster:

Thierry Henry

Kris Boyd

Eddie Johnson

Felipe Martins

Nick DeLeon

Branko Boskovic

Kamani Hill

Jacob Peterson

Andy Gruenebaum

Blas Perez

Eric Hassli

Kevin Hartman

Second Half Opens With Win

Battle Take Charge as Second Half of Season Starts

4-1 was the score line against the KC Quest this past weekend as the Alamo City Battle opened the second half of the BSL season with a win. No Henry yet again but it was no problem as the GAM himself, Eddie Johnson, led the charge for the Battle. This means that the Battle have started Major's Cup Qualifying with the maximum 6 points and are looking to make a serious run in the 2nd half of the season after opening the campaign on a tear. The additions of Branko Boskovic and Felipe Martins are looking to be master strokes as both men contributed to the score sheet again this week (the Gunners must be fuming about Branko). Kevin Hartman wasn't able to overcome shoddy defending in front of him but showed his ability by getting 5 saves to add to the total. All in all the club is showing its depth right now and that could be the key for the 2nd half of the season.

The club will have to go at least one more match without talisman Thierry Henry. The striker will be out this week again as they club makes sure he's rested and ready when he does hit the field. It will be a quick turnaround for the club as they take on Alliance FC who is fresh off a good win against Gold Coast. The club needs to keep the momentum going and the pressure on the other BSL clubs.

WEEK 14 ROSTER:

Eddie Johnson

Eric Hassli

Felipe Martins

Miller Bolanos

Blas Perez

Branko Boskovic

Nick DeLeon

Kris Boyd

Kevin Hartman

Thierry Henry

Kelyn Rowe

Kamani Hill

Back to Back Into the Break

Boyd Leads Triple Threat as Alamo City Takes Second Straight Match

Thierry Henry got back on the field and almost put three balls into the back of the net in his first match in a month as the superstar came back from a hamstring injury.  Frustratingly, he couldn't get on the score sheet.  That number three though, proved a bit prophetic as the three 'other' big guns for Alamo City provided the scoring to give the Battle a second straight victory after losing four straight previously.  "It absolutely feels good," said Boyd.  "For a few matches myself, and the rest of the team simply didn't step up.  Eddie [Johnson] was the only guy getting off the bus.  Yeah, we had some injuries and one hell of an unfortunate scheduling quirk ... but bottom line was that we simply weren't doing enough.  We'd all gotten used to the weekly Thierry Henry show.  It felt good the last two weeks to step up for the team and for him."

It couldn't have come at a better time for the Battle.  After losing four straight the team was starting to look inward to try and find what the problem could be.  Sure, Thierry Henry went down with an injury but that didn't explain how the rest of the lineup couldn't find a way to get on the score sheet.  Last week the club looked to find themselves a bit and this week the rest of the big guns got on the board for Alamo City.  Despite having a PK attempt saved Blas Perez put one in the net along with Boyd.  Hassli notched another assist while new addition Branko Boskovic added an assist to round out the scoring.  Week 12 proved to be one heck of a lift to the team spirits rather than hammering home what was almost becoming a sobering truth.

The club started Major's Cup Qualifying this week and got off on the right foot.  More importantly, the Battle secured the 2012 Freedom Cup by beating Malmo FF 4-1.  No matter the outcome of the AIK-Malmo FF match up neither club can match Alamo City's 6pts in the competition.  "Getting that Silverware was a nice reminder of what we're capable of and what we're trying to accomplish here at Alamo City," said Hassli after the club found out that Malmo couldn't match their efforts.  "It's a good way to regain some confidence going forward."

---- In player movement news, the Battle have released Milovan Mirosevic and Michael Gspurning and brought in Justin Meram and Felipe Martins.

Four for the Door

Grown Ass Man Stands Up and Delivers

Eddie Johnson led the way with a goal and an assist as Alamo City stopped their losing streak by beating the previously table topping Pennsylvania Stoners 4-2 this weekend.  The streak had been very ugly for the Battle as a vast array of issues plagued the club the last few weeks.  "It was horrible.  We lost Henry to injury, we had a match where only half of our roster was even available to be selected, DeLeon and Gspurning went down with injuries, Blas was suspended, we caught Second City on the day they put out there best performance of the season, and we couldn't put points on the board to save our lives.  It was just ugly ..."

The one silver lining in all of it was that Alamo City got a leg up in the Freedom Cup by beating AIK 3-0 in the first match of the competition.  This is a new week though, and the Battle must look forward.  Second City is already up again and this week's match triples for the Battle.  Major's Cup Qualifying begins and it is also Leg 2 of the Freedom Cup as Malmo FF is on the dockett as well.  There's plenty more to talk about as teh Battle have made a couple of roster moves over the course of the week.  Branko Boskovic and Miller Bolanos were added in lew of Reggie Lambe and Kelyn Rowe being released.  "Bolanos is a guy we wanted in the draft.  He's started the season slow but we feel that is more a product of the team than of his play.  He's been a force on the field and makes things happen.  Fortunately for us his previous owner wasn't patient enough to wait it out.  We feel his stat lines are going to improve greatly as the season progresses.  That's the same situation with Boskovic.  Obviously we've liked him since he came to the league as we originally brought him in.  Injuries and uncertainty with the line up in DC have led to him just now finding his stride.  Again, a lack of patience has led to a great player landing in our lap."

Week 12 Line Up:

Eddie Johnson
Blas Perez
Miller Bolanos
Kris Boyd
Eric Hassli
Branko Boskovic
Theirry Henry
Kamani Hill

Kevin Hartman

Nick DeLeon
Milovan Mirosevic
Michael Gspurning

The Golden Sombrero

Scheduling - Suspensions - Injuries Leave Battle Short Handed and Outgunned


The stars officially aligned to ensure that the Alamo City Battle Soccer Club would lose their fourth straight BSL match this past weekend.  Between the players suspended, injured, and without a match the Battle were forced to field a short handed lineup against Gold Coast.  The outcome ?  An abysmal output on the scorecard (1pt) and yet another loss.  Nobody at Alamo City spoke to the media this past week and things are rumored to be very, very ugly behind the scenes.  All we can do here at the official website is move forward and hope that the news reports get better as the season goes along.  After a short turn around the Battle have to jump right back into the mix in Week 11 as they face Pennsylvania, the team atop the BSL table at the moment.

Week 11 Squad:


Kris Boyd
Eric Hassli
Eddie Johnson
Nick DeLeon
Blas Perez
Kamani Hill
Reggie Lambe
Milovan Mirosevic

Kevin Hartman

Kelyn Rowe
Thierry Henry
Michael Gspurning

Back to Back Losses and a Gut Punch

Who Will Step Up and Take the Throne in Henry's Absence ?

It wasn't just a second straight loss for Alamo City this past weekend.  The 4-2 score line against CD Gunners represented everything that the Battle had hoped to move past this season.  Instead it was another spirited effort for naught.  The bane of Alamo City's existence once again reared its ugly head.  The Gunners tightened up the race for the Founder's Cup while taking the early lead in the BSL Classic.  The biggest blow from the match though, was to captain Thierry Henry.  A hamstring injury will see the ACSC scoring leader out for 3-4 weeks.  That's just a tough pill to swallow.

The club can't get down on itself though.  Staring the Battle in the face is a date with the very steady Rose City Flyers FC, and the BSL Game of the Week.  Nothing like adding a little grease to the fire for Alamo City.  "That seems to be our M.O. around here.  When it's good, it's damn good but when it's bad .... yeah"  There was little comment from ACSC management as the club has closed doors for all but the mandatory media briefings and contractual obligations to appearances.  It's quiet around San Antonio, but not because the club is worried.  The club is simply focusing on the next several matches as the players and management have to be at their best in order to get through the absence of Henry.  A positive from the weekend is that Eddie Johnson netted his first and was credited with an assist before MLS scoring changed the 2nd Seattle goal to an own goal.

One move was to swap Colorado teammates Jaime Castrillon and Kamani Hill.  While Castrillon has played well he simply hasn't been able to figure in the scoring.  It's a shame because the Alamo City management love the play they've gotten so far.  That doesn't get results in the BSL though and Kamani Hill has shown he's worthy of a roster slot.  Even as a bench option for Colorado he's found the score sheet more times than many starters across the league.   

As if the two straight losses, continued failings against CD, and the Henry injury weren't enough ... this match also markes the opening of the Freedom Cup for 2012.  ACSC will be taking on not only Rose City, but AIK as well.  "Rains ... pours ... etc"

Week 9 Roster:

Kris Boyd
Blas Perez
Nick DeLeon
Eddie Johnson
Kamani Hill
Kelyn Rowe
Milovan Mirosevic
Reggie Lambe

Michael Gspurning

Eric Hassli
Kevin Hartman
Thierry Henry

Mission Impossible : Accomplished

Rookie Continues Torrid Start - Paces Another Alamo City Win

The young man out of Louisville University set the pace for the Alamo City Battle this weekend as the club finally exorcised it's demons against Burud Town. Previously win-less against their weekend's opponent, Alamo City put up another 6 spot as they surprisingly cruised to a 6-2 victory.

"It certainly feels good to get this monkey off of our back. They had completely dominated the series before this weekend. These are the kinds of things we need to do in order to continue to pile on the pressure this season. There's another club out there that has us by the tail like Burud Town does. We need to continue these performances."

This weekend it wasn't Thierry Henry. It was Nick DeLeon and his two assists that paved the way for ACSC to notch another win. Henry got on the score sheet with an assist of his own and was joined in the scoring by Kris Boyd (G) and Blas Perez (G,A). The depth of this roster showed up again to show that the Battle will always be a threat to light up the scoreboard.

Breaching the Gate

King Henry Leads Battle to Victory

"Come and take it."

That was the sentiment coming out of the locker room of the Alamo City Battle after this weekend's 7-4 victory against Gateway United. The Founder's Cup match up held all of the scoring, excitement, and drama that was expected. Superstar performances from both clubs made this one an instant classic. This match also illustrated why these two clubs had raced to the top of the BSL table early in the season. The offenses were on display once again, but it was the defense and coaching of Alamo City that made all the difference in this one.

"As well as we've been playing so far this season, the credit for this win goes right to the staff. They mulled over the game plan and went back and forth over the player selection. They got it right and we went out and did our jobs. The staff put the right lineup out to maximize the points this week. This is how you build a great club. Players and staff working together fluidly and making all the right moves at the right time. Tonight you saw the staff at their best." Those were the words of team captain Thierry Henry in regards to the player selection for this weeks match up. Specifically he was referring to the choice of keepers. While he hadn't recorded a save point or clean sheet so far, Kevin Hartman had been playing extremely well. That's not to say that Michael Gspurning hadn't. He'd actually gotten on the board with a clean sheet already. "You go with momentum, with form. So we did. Michael was facing a club very much in form. Kevin was as well, however they were at home and were due to break the unlucky streak and secure a shutout. He did that for us by putting in a superb performance." Indeed it was and it was that performance that provided the difference in the game despite being the first points on the board for Alamo City. His clean sheet and save point gave Alamo City a very tough to come by double score from their net minder. Gspurning did do his part as well recording a clean sheet, but the point will not go down on record.

The tactics though, weren't all from Alamo City. In the first match of the week Gateway looked as though they might have managed to sneak in a point that could decide the game. Paulo Jr took a PK for RSL and got Gateway on the board. "Completely out of the blue. Sure, we knew he'd be laying in the woods but when he took the ball from Beckerman and lined up from the spot ... we simply couldn't believe it. We were 1-0 down and a bit shocked to be honest." Immediately, Kevin Hartman stepped up and put Alamo City in position to grab hold of the match. Try as they might, Gateway couldn't bet past the Battle goalkeeper. Hartman held them at bay and grabbed two crucial points to put Alamo in the lead. "Yeah, I did my part but for a minute it looked like it wouldn't be enough," said Hartman. "Cooper came up to the plate right after me and returned the favor. He slotted two home and put Gateway right back in the lead." At that moment, the best player in the BSL this season took his turn and took control of the match for good. Thierry Henry not only answered his MLS teammate by matching his two goals, but he provided the assist for one of Cooper's goal to give the edge to Alamo City. From there, Hassli and Boyd added an assist and goal respectively to render Neilsen's clean sheet a moot point.

It was the biggest stage so far this season in the Bigtime Soccer League. The two hottest, highest scoring clubs went toe to toe. Both clubs had star players come up big. Both clubs had multiple players put points on the board. Only Alamo City though came out on top. Putting up the highest point total so far for any club this season, the Battle have firmly placed themselves at the top of the table in the early going. Now it's time to push. Now it is time for the rest of the league to "come and take it."

The Magnificent One Strikes

Henry Shows World Class Ability in 6-2 Romp Over Quest

He's the talisman, the king, and the magnificent one all at the same time. In week 4 of the 2012 BSL campaign, Thierry Henry left no doubt that he is rightfully considered 'world class.' It was his assist that truly showcased that ability. A back flick that 99% of players in the world couldn't get right if they tried seemed effortless to Henry. Oh by the way, he netted a hat trick as well. His four points paced the Alamo City Battle as they reeled off their third win of the season to remain unbeaten in the early going. With Gateway United drawing on the day, week 5 is an early season 'must win' that sets the Bigtime Soccer League apart from the rest. "It's huge. Two undefeated clubs that are rolling right now. Both are in form and both are looking to take the early stranglehold on the table. It's as important of a game as there is, week 5 be damned. These are the matches that set clubs above others. Simply put, we need to keep rolling."

That's the goal for Alamo City and that's the reasoning behind their first player transaction of the season. While the Battle had high hopes for Josue Martinez, the early season issues with Philadelphia have kept Alamo City from being able to properly gauge the youngster's ability. He hasn't even had a chance to make an impact yet. Not able to wait around as in years past, the Battle moved on and added a different youngster to the roster. Nick DeLeon has been a sweet surprise for DCU and Alamo City hopes to cash in on that joyride as well. He'll be ready for selection in week 5 should Alamo City management deem him ready to start.

Opening Round of Founder's Cup a Success for Alamo City

Dominance of Union Continues

First match of the Founder's Cup, first match at home this season, and the Battle delivered in a big way. The pressure that the fans and the management have put on the team to perform weighs heavy, but the pressure is welcome because that's how superstar's perform. In week 3 of the BSL season, the biggest superstar of them all did just that.

"Oh he was brilliant. He was a hair away from taking Clint Mathis out of the record books. He was unlucky to only walk away with 2. He easily could have had 5 or more. Oh, and he still managed to set up another for someone else. He was simply phenomenal. This is why he's here, this is why he's the talisman, and this is why he's Theirry Henry and everyone else isn't."

Simply put, his performance on Sunday afternoon secured Alamo City yet another win over Union SC. The Battle have had their number historically. For some reason, the club out in California brings out the best in Alamo City. It isn't ever easy though. Michael Gspurning got things going with his first ever clean sheet in the league. That lead was short lived though as Wondolowski provided Union with a brace to snatch the lead. Putting his first goal onto the score sheet this season, Milovan Mirosevic evened things up only to see Marco Pappa take it right back for Union. That's when Henry took over. His two goals and assist put a choke hold on the match before Castrillon tacked on the insurance. As has been the case so far this season, the Battle are getting scoring from all over the lineup. That's the key, and that's what is going to make or break Alamo City this season.

Depth Saves Point for Battle

Marcelo Sarvas Saves the Day

During First Kick it was the "name" brand that took center stage for the Alamo City Battle Soccer Club. "The big guns took care of business for us," stated Alamo city management in regards to the first match of the year. "But this week, we showed what a club has to do in order to win in this league. You've got to play to the final whistle, and you've got to have players capable of producing slotted in every position in your lineup. Marcelo came in very late into the game and stole a point for us. That's how you separate yourself in this league."

Fresh of the warnings earlier in the week that facing an expansion club presented a very unique set of challenges, the ACSC brass was delighted to see their club pull something from an otherwise weak performance overall. Blas Perez netted his first goal of the season, as did Jaime Castrillon. No one else even sniffed the scoreboard until Sarvas put in a beautiful header from the center of the box. The point lands Alamo City in a four way tie for second place after the first two weeks of the season.

Battle Claim Opening Match

Stars Pave Way for Opening Win of 2012 Season

It was a display that was expected if you ask the Alamo City management and players. The squad has plenty of name value which has bred plenty of expectation from the players themselves, the management, and the fans. These expectations were met, if only for a day, during the 2012 BSL First Kick match up against Alliance FC. Headlining the day was Panamanian International Blas Perez. His effort didn't net him a goal but the hard work didn't go unfulfilled. He got on the sheet with two assists that were indicative of the work he put in. If not for a fantastic day from rookie netminder Ryan Meara, he'd have had a goal or two as well. In that same game, Thierry Henry displayed his new found role in the NYRB offense. Now more of a CF/CAM, the talisman distributed well but couldn't get things going with Agudelo. Once Kenny Cooper entered though, his service started bearing fruit. A fantastic overhead through-ball landed perfectly for Cooper who netted it home giving Henry the assist. Hassli did much of the same hard work as Perez and also was awarded an assist for his time. It was Boyd though, that found the back of the net on a class header that perfectly displayed his skill. Boyd was denied, at the very least, one other goal as MacMath had a great save on a close attempt in the box.

"Surely we're pleased, and we're even more pleased that there were several opportunities that were denied only by fantastic plays by the keepers this weekend. It was only the first match and our players looked as though this were mid-season form. While we're happy we understand this is merely the first match. Given our start the last two seasons though, I think a bigger than normal smile can be excused this once."

Another 6-1 Keeps Union Home for the Post Season

Battle Keep Rolling Against Union

For whatever reason, the Alamo City Battle have Union's number. This weekend's match up was no different. Spearheaded by Eric Hassli's 3pt outing, the Battle once again topped Union. This one stung a bit more as Alamo City kept Union from qualifying for the Major's Cup. The original BSL clubs have a long history and this just adds to the rivalry.

Freedom Cup Goes to Battle

6 - 1 Result Against Zenit Seals Trophy

The final match in the Freedom Cup will pit Zenit against CSKA but neither club can claim the Freedom Cup. That is thanks to the three braces netted by Alamo City this weekend. Kei Kamara, Eric Hassli, and Theirry Henry ensured that this season would garner some hardware for the Battle.

Return of Poor Form

Battle Have Nothing Left After 10pt Explosion

The Alamo City Battle have come into the first match of their 4th of July double header on their worst run of form in team history. For the first time ever, the club has failed to score in two consecutive matches. After putting up 10pts (5 of which counted on the score sheet) the Battle haven't come close to finding the back of the net since. That has cost the Battle dearly as they dropped the second leg of the BSL Classic and have once again seen the trophy go to the Gunners. Following that disappointment, the Battle failed to capitalize on a prime chance to garner 3pts in the standings against Hillcrest United. Now Alamo City finds itself on the outside looking in on both the Playoff and Major's Cup races.

The 4th of July weekend will give Alamo City the perfect shot at reclaiming their form and their place in the table. First they'll have to take care of Alliance FC and then the Pennsylvania Stoners.

The Lineup for the FIRST match (6/29 - 7/3) is as follows:

Plata
Hassli
Henry
Sapong
Kamara
Alhassan
Lenhart
Jackson

Kennedy

Brettschneider
Nazarit
Paladini

Rimando
Feilhaber

The lineup for the SECOND match (7/4 - 7/10) is as follows:

Henry

Hassli

Lenhart

Sapong

Kamara

Jackson

Feilhaber

Brettschneider

Rimando

Nazarit

Paladini

Plata

Kennedy

Alhassan

*Bidding war for Danny Koevermans ends after 2nd match starts, therefore any player released for Koevermans will still count on roster for this match

League Record Explosion Nets Only Half

Eric Hassli's Golazo Highlights Alamo City Assault

After the Seattle Sounders had scored twice in 4 minutes to take the lead in their PNW derby match, Eric Hassli cut the Rave Green's heart out with what many consider to be one of the greatest goals in recent MLS history. It was a fitting exclamation point to the Alamo City assault on the scoreboard this past weekend. The Battle scored a BSL record 10 points. The problem though, is that it took a late Cristian Nazarit goal for the starters to equal the point output of the subs. Last week's hero, Steven Lenhart was left on the bench due to the cross country trip and depleted San Jose squad. Turns out neither were a big deal for Lenhart as he poured in a hat trick and also added an assist. Folan also tallied an assist to put the Sub's total at 5 points. Unfortunately for the Battle the league record tally won't count in the record books as only the 5 points from the starters will be on the official match tally.

Hopefully the Battle left some ammunition for the 2nd leg of the BSL Classic this week. The club will be looking to gain traction in what has been a pretty lopsided rivalry. The Battle are down a goal coming into the second leg and while the rivalry is important, this match has some even bigger ramifications. The Battle have clawed their way into a playoff position and all but erased their early season missteps. The club is also in a strong early position to qualify for the Majors Cup again this season. The Gunners have a depleted roster due to the Gold Cup but have managed to keep in stride. The Battle need to take advantage this week and continue their hot streak.

Battle Take Early Lead in Freedom Cup

Alamo City Wins 2-1 In Russia

The match was very technical and the play was very tight. It was Alamo City though that pressed the issue and got the lone break in the match. Right before half time, Hassli and Henry pressured the back line of Moscow. Henry made a quick turn and one timed the ball into the back of the net. Seemingly frustrated at the lapse in defense, Moscow took down Hassli in the box just two minutes after Henry's strike and Alamo City had a 2-0 lead going into the half. Moscow striker Thomas Necid pulled one back late in the match but it wouldn't be enough to garner any points. The goal could prove large at the end of the tournament though.

Now the Battle must look forward to resuming BSL play, and they'll do it against a team that has been a thorn in their side. Burud Town welcomes Alamo City back to League play and they're coming off a shutout win over PNR. The Battle will do so with a new face in their line up. After meetings with Rajko Lekic, the club and player both decided that it was best for both parties to part ways. Alamo City has signed Lamar Neagle (SEA) in his place.

Taking the pitch for Alamo City VS Burud:

Henry

Hassli

Koke

Alhassan

Lenhart

Neagle

Nazarit

Kamara

Rimando

Cameron

Folan

Plata

Hall

Feilhaber

Break from BSL - Fight for Freedom

Freedom Cup Kicks Off With Trip To Play CSKA Moscow

The break from BSL play has finally come for Alamo City and they finished up the first round of league play with a 2-1 win over Union SC. Now the club flies to 'Mother Russia' to take on on of the most storied clubs in the world and kick off the Freedom Cup.

"The change in competition comes at good time for us. We had the longest first stretch in the BSL and the change of pace will help us re-focus and continue pushing forward. We've hit a nice run of form and we're hoping to keep it up."

The inaugural Freedom Cup is sure to bring the same excitement to the pitch that the BSL and Alamo City do on a weekly basis.

Roster for CSKA Moscow Match:

Henry

Hassli

Koke

Kamara

Alhassan

Lekic

Feilhaber

Folan

Cameron

Nazarit

Lenhart

Plata

Rimando

Big Win - Big News

Battle Get Win But Huge Change Rolls Through Club

- San Antonio

The good news for Alamo City is that they were able to grind out the win against the PN Rangers. Behind Rimando, Folan, and Thierry Henry the Battle coasted to a 3-0 win to once again even up their record for the year (4-4-0). The win puts Alamo City just 1pt off a playoff position.

The other news this week though, has sent shockwaves through the BSL. In what was a much deliberated decision, the Alamo City Football Club released the first pick in the 2011 BSL Draft - Juan Pablo Angel.

"I do not blame the club, I do not feel anger towards them. Alamo City has treated me well and has given me every opportunity to lead this clubs. I am not angry at anyone but myself. I didn't give the club what they needed. I just have not produced the points I'm supposed too. The club has done what they need to do. The young man they've signed is a huge prospect and is someone that looks to have a very bright future for the club and in the Bigtime League. I thank Alamo City for the trust they gave me and the professionalism they showed towards me. I just wish I could have given them, on the field, what they deserved."

The respect between both sides was obvious as both sides had nothing but good things to say about the other and time that Angel played with the club. It was clear though, that both sides were hurt that it just didn't work out.

"You never feel good when you have to let someone like JPA go. The man is a true professional on and off the field. He's been nothing but class and has represented himself and Alamo City pride and dignity. We simply came to a point that a decision had to be made for the best for both sides. It was clear it wasn't working out. For whatever reason JPA and ACFC just haven't clicked. Juan Pablo can't afford to just tread water with his career and we can't afford to delay any decision to make this club better going forward. I'm certainly not implying that letting him go makes us better, but the results on the field are what they are. Cristian Nazarit is a highly rated young man and has already played and performed in big time environments. Moving forward he brings a hell of a lot to the table and could help solidify the future of Alamo City. No, it doesn't feel good and quite frankly it sucks that his addition is at the expense of Angel. We've been here before though, and this is why the players in this league respect us. We always do what is best for the club and the players. Omar Cummings, Kasey Keller ... yeah we've walked this route before."