HOUSTON DERBY COULD CROWN RED RIVER SOUTHERN DIVISION CHAMPION

Photo Credits:  AHFC Royals Media

Friday, the AHFC Royals can clinch the Southern Division of the Red River Conference. In a season that won’t see national playoffs and with most conferences opting out of a formal playoff structure, specific to their conference, by electing to crown their conference champion from regular-season points, the Royals can play in the only Central Region Conference Championship match. The match will feature winners of both Southern and Northern Divisions. In addition, the Southern Division winner is set to host the match.

The Royals have six wins in six matches – good for 18 points in the standings. The distance between the Royals and second place is eight points and the only thing standing in AHFC’s way is Friday’s opponent – the second-place Houston Aces. Royals head coach, Daniel Hill, isn’t taking the match lightly.

“This Friday will be our hardest game,” Hill said. “The way they move the ball, they move the ball so well. They’re so quick.”

Hill prepares by watching their opponents’ matches three or four times. Each match shows adjustments to whoever the Royals have next on the schedule. There’s one certainty to expect from AHFC though – they will attack. The Royals have scored 33 goals this season – the highest of any WPSL team thus far: good for an average of 5.5 per match. AHFC’s defense isn’t lacking either as Hill’s side has conceded just one goal all season.

For the Aces, it’s their “total soccer” mentality playing style that sets them apart as each Aces player is expected to be able to play any position – a strategy implemented by the Netherlands that still has its hold on today’s game.

Houston has three matches remaining, so they aren’t mathematically out of the equation. If the Aces win each of their remaining three matches, and the Royals lose their remaining two, the Aces jump into first place. Regardless of how difficult of a challenge it may be, Aces team president Pascal Piazza has the team on the field for one reason.

“We wouldn’t be going out here unless we wanted to win them,” Piazza said. “It’s going to be three tough matches, especially against Albion [AHFC]. We’re looking forward to playing Albion again since they beat us the first time.”

Part one of the Houston Derby came on June 4 as AHFC beat Houston 3-0 on a two-goal performance by Royals’ midfielder, and Texas A&M University athlete, Barbara Olivieri. So far in 2021, Olivieri has recorded seven goals for the first-place Royals.  This would be Houston’s second match of the season – and only loss. Hill, and AHFC, expect Houston to come out ready to avenge that loss.

“We beat them three-nil last time and their motivation to come back and beat us will be huge,” Hill said. “We’re really going to make it a good game.”

A positive for both clubs is playing locally. The Aces and the Royals both play at Campbell Roads Sports Park, meaning neither team can cite away travel roster limitations in the matchup. Each team expects to have its best 2021 lineup available.

Someone to watch on the Royals is 16-year-old defender, Leah Klenke. The high schooler has four goals so far this season, and part of the reason that the Royals have five clean sheets in six matches.

A name that comes up a lot in Hill’s match tape is Aces’ forward, Shaina Ashouri. Ashouri is a former NCAA athlete from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Wyoming. In 2020, Ashouri signed a short-term contract with the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League, although she didn’t receive any minutes on the field – the contract concluded at the end of the NWSL Fall Series. Ashouri has recorded two goals for the Aces thus far. At goal, for the Aces, is Alexis Espino who’s been strengthening its defense. In the last three matches, Houston has three clean sheets, showing an improved defense as chemistry in the team builds.

Nothing is guaranteed for the AHFC Royals this season. In the WPSL, teams must play full 90-minute matches and not underestimate their opponent. A Houston Aces victory on Friday night could be the momentum they need to keep the Red River Southern Conference competitive until the final week of the regular season.

Watch the two teams Friday night at 7:00 p.m. CT.

Stream the match live on Eleven Sports, the official streaming partner of the WPSL.

   Author:   Thomas Costello;  @1thomascostello (twitter)
   WPSL Contributor - Central Region