Bravos FC looks to end season with wins

HIDALGO — It figures a season that has gone by quickly will be decided in only 180 minutes of play.

A little over two months ago, Bravos FC started its season. The schedule of 16 games, the first professional games for a Valley team, were something Bravos FC players and fans had looked forward to since the franchise was announced last year. Now, however, the regular season is all but over, and it feels like the 16-game slate has taken no time to finish.

 “It’s been pretty quick. It’s been a season of ups and downs,” defender Pablo Degollado said. “Overall, it’s been a good season for all of us. For some of us, it’s been our first year playing professional. It’s been a really good experience for us. We want to finish the season good.”

Bravos FC can do more then just finish the regular season well this weekend. Starting with tonight’s game against Dallas-Fort Worth, Bravos FC can still make the postseason with good results and some help.

If RGV (5-4-5, 20 points) wins both of its games, Bravos FC will give itself a better chance to claim the third and final playoff spot from the Mid-South Division but still need other results to go the right way. A win and a draw will also keep Bravos FC in contention, but will further complicate its playoff chances, while one loss will eliminate RGV from the postseason.

At least tonight, Laredo (26 points) and Austin (25) can clinch playoff berths with victories over West Texas and El Paso, respectively. If that happens, El Paso (22 points) and West Texas (24) will still be contending with Bravos FC for the final spot on Sunday with RGV playing host to West Texas.

But instead of worrying about the various scenarios and tiebreakers, Bravos FC is worrying just about winning its two final regular season games.

“We have to win. That’s all we can think about,” forward Jesus Alex Rios said. “We don’t want to tie, we want to go for the win and the three points.”

If Bravos FC gets all six points, the chances of the blur of a season extending will be improved. That’s something Rios and Degollado both want to see happen.

They’ve relished being a part of the Valley’s first professional season. They don’t want to see it end quicker than it even began.

“We know that the teams we’re going against are beatable. We know we have a good team,” Degollado said. “We’re coming together a lot. We’re just going to have confidence in our team and our starting 11 and give it our all.”

CORNER KICKS: Coach Ismael Moreira Braga will be back on the Bravos FC sideline tonight after serving a three-match suspension for his actions after RGV’s 1-1 draw on June 19 against Laredo.

Brian Sandalow covers Rio Grande Valley Bravos FC for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436.