Eric Avila gets a kick out of showing up his former UCSB teammate Andy Iro when the two play against each other in a Major League Soccer match.
The crafty Avila got the best of Iro on Saturday as he scored a goal in stoppage time to give FC Dallas a 2-2 draw with the Columbus Crew at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.
It was the second time Avila delivered a big goal against Iro’s Columbus side. He scored last year in a 2-1 Dallas victory at home.
“I don’t know what it is about Columbus,” Avila told the Dallas Morning News. “I think it’s a bet between me and Andy Iro. We played in college together and got drafted the same year.”
That would be in 2008. Iro just completed his senior year for coach Tim Vom Steeg’s Gauchos, while Avila opted to turn pro after his junior season.
Avila, who came on as a substitute late in the second half, struck a low shot from about 19 yards out that landed just beyond the reach of Columbus goalkeeper Will Hesmer and in the left side of the net.
The goal drew complaints from the Crew. They felt referee Jasen Anno should have called a hand ball against Avila, who collected the ball after Hesmer blocked a shot by David Ferriera at the near post.
“If you play basketball, if you use your hands, it’s easy to score.” said Columbus coach Robert Warzycha, referring to Avila’s tying goal.
The goal was the second of Avila’s MLS career.
