Laredo Headed to Midland for Mid-Week Clash
Written by admin, May 10, 2010, 0 Comments
Courtesy Vanessa Guajardo,
Hector “Gota” Vallejo Out for the Season
On Saturday evening in Brownsville, TX, the Laredo Heat (2 – 0 – 0 / 6 points) beat the Rio Grande Valley Bravos (0 – 2 – 0 / 0 points) by a score of 2 – 1 on goals scored by Juan de Dios Ibarra (22nd minute, assist to Felix Garcia) and a penalty kick in the 59th minutes scored by Felix Garcia to remain undefeated in Premier Development League (PDL) play but the victory proved to be costly for the Gateway City team due to losing starting midfielder Hector “Gota” Vallejo. The speedy Vallejo was on the receiving end of a hard tackle that ended up breaking his left fibula and tearing his ankle tendons.
Vallejo will be out the remainder of the season and his recovery is currently speculated to take six to eight months. “Gota” was an instrumental part of the Heat’s 2007 PDL Championship and had just returned to Laredo after playing in Mexico in 2008 and 2009. Vallejo last played in the 2009 / 2010 season with the “La Raza” Indoor Soccer Club that captured the Major Indoor Soccer League Championship early last month.
“Hector’s attacking style and playmaking abilities will be missed as he had already demonstrated prior to his injury that he was in full force and in mid-season form”, said Heat General Manager, J.J. Vela.
“Everyone always says that injuries are part of the game but one still hates to see them when they happen. Not only is he (Vallejo) a fine athlete but Hector is also a great human being that will not only be missed on the pitch on game days but on the practice field, the Heat’s school visits, the road trips, etc…Hector is truly a professional that many of our young players really look up to”.
Vela concluded, “The entire Laredo Heat organization and I am sure that the fans that have met him wish only the best for him and hope for a quick recovery from this injury. Hector is resilient and I am confident that he will come out of this a much better player and man”.
After two early season victories, the Heat now travel to Midland, TX on Tuesday morning to take on the West Texas United Sockers (1 – 1 – 0 / 3 points) on Wednesday, May 11th at Grande Communication Stadium. The Sockers like the Heat opened the season versus the same opponents. For the Heat, it was two victories versus the Rio Grande Valley Bravos and for West Texas United; it was one win at home and one loss on the road when they faced the El Paso Patriots.
Kick-off on Wednesday is set for 11:00 AM as the Sockers organization will be promoting youth soccer and their team to school children in the Midland / Odessa area. They are expecting several thousand kids to the game and hope to grow their fan base.
The West Texas United Sockers and the Laredo Heat finished one two last season with the Heat taking the Mid-South Division title in a 1 – 0 win over the Midland based team in the division championship game to advance to the PDL Conference Championship.
The game versus the Sockers on Wednesday will also double up as a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Match for both teams. Each of the eight divisions in the PDL has a representative qualify for the U.S. Open Cup, a tournament similar to the FA Cup in England and La Copa del Rey in Spain.
Ryan Sanders Shootout
In a little less than a month, the Laredo Heat will be travelling to Corpus Christi, TX to take on the two –time Major League Soccer Cup Champion Houston Dynamo. The stage has been set for this exciting match scheduled for Thursday, June 10, 2010 (the day before the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa) at What-A-Burger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks, the AA affiliate of the Houston Astros. Kick-off is set for 7:00 P.M. The event is being presented by Amigo Energy, the title sponsor of the Houston Dynamo. Tickets for this game can be purchased at www.ryansandersentertainment.com , the What-A-Burger Field Box Office or by phone at (361) 561 – HOOK (4665).
