An Emphatic Win Puts Austin FC In The Quarterfinals: Takeaways From Austin FC v Houston Dynamo in USOC Action
Austin FC made club history last night by beating Houston Dynamo 3-1 and advancing to the quarterfinals of the nation's longest-standing soccer competition, a feat yet to be achieved by the Verde and Black. This match also marked Austin’s only multiple-goal win thus far in the season. Here is the breakdown of the game, along with some fan takeaways:
Takeaway #1: What Went Well
It seems that Nico has finally realized that Bukari works better on the right side. In the last two games, he has started the Ghanaian on the right wing, and they have been two of his best games since joining Austin. We are finally seeing the dangerous, confident winger that was promised when Rodo signed him last summer, and it’s the perfect time for him to be hitting a patch of form. Brandon Vázquez also continued his recent goalscoring form as his solo heroics got Austin their first goal after just 29 minutes. Dubersarsky was also particularly impressive as his ball-winning ability and grit all over the pitch helped the team massively, and Wolff continued to show that he is developing, and maybe he can be the playmaking ten we so desperately need.
Takeaway #2: What Didn’t
Julio Cascante was very shaky in defense, especially towards the end of the game, ultimately leading to his sending-off. The red card in the 93rd minute leaves us with just 2 natural center-backs for our away trip to San Jose, a team rich in attacking talent, in early July. Obrian looked a bit shaky too, and his on-the-ball ability continues to be sub-par. Uzuni off the bench was alright, drawing the second yellow for Houston, but he still looks somewhat out of his comfort zone and unhappy with some of his teammates when he doesn’t get the service he wants. Finally, CJ Fodrey had the perfect chance to score in front of a practically empty net, but it was squandered as he shot it straight at the Houston keeper, who was already lying on the ground, further drawing into question if he is really up to the Austin FC standard.
Fan Takeaways:
“Forgot what it felt like to score more than one goal against an MLS club! I had to watch 4-year-old highlights of us beating Portland to remind myself it was still possible — haha. Let’s just hope this wasn’t a fluke and that we don’t have to leave Nico at the airport Saturday night.” – Matthew L.
“Say it quietly, but Vasquez is settling in to become the main man on this team. I think that first XI has got to start making more regular appearances from now on, which raises questions about Uzuni’s role in the team and why we bought him. However, our attackers clearly looked more threatening with a classic no. 9 and two out-and-out wingers. The defense left a lot to be desired, and Nico’s subs disrupted the team and almost led to more of a comeback. Still, these are much better signs going forward, and if we can maintain some consistency and strike the right balance between defensive solidity and attacking flair, then we might not be on track for a bad season after all. (Although I’m not holding my breath… let’s wait and see if we can keep it going.)” – Eddie W.
“What a match. Austin definitely wanted the win because of the way they played. It was very attacking football. Now, time for the ratings: Stuver had a good game. He wasn’t challenged much and only conceded when he didn’t expect it — 7/10. The defense, in my opinion, did very well. We had Biro locking the airspace, Jonny on the other side speeding and hawking down the Houston side, and Svatok, for me, is always the best CB we have — he knows when to tackle. Kolmanič came on with big energy to help the defense. As for Cascante, he had a good game but made a few mistakes that could’ve cost us until Svatok or someone else covered for him — 8/10. The midfield did very well in transition. I give big props to Wolff, who always kept pressing even when the play was over or he was tired and kept it up until the end. Ilia also did well with his passing and pressure, which in the end, paid off as he got the goal he deserved. Dubersarsky, for me, is the underrated player here — he kept his presence known to Houston’s midfield. Šabović, for me, brought the game alive as he drew fouls and made me realize I was really watching a rivalry game. I rate the midfield an 8/10. Now for the attack — I loved the game they played today. That was the Austin FC I saw in 2022. I think Bukari really deserved POTM with his one-on-ones, the passes and assists he gave, and how calm he was up to the penalty shot. His presence really showed, and he was a handful for defenders. Obrian also showed this on the other side. As for Brandon Vasquez — you either love him or hate him. For me, he showed that he plays well with teammates who can feed him the ball. He can’t really create a play on his own, but he did very well and got the goal he wanted before getting subbed. Uzuni, for me, was a bit quiet and only really drew a foul that led to a red card. CJ getting his minutes makes me happy, as he brought some energy at the end of the game. For me, attack rating: 9/10. (I really want to see some Burton and Thomas football.)” - Jordan
“What a game! Loved to see that BV got that type of goal where he muscled his position and blasted one through. He should be leveraging this and his aerial advantage more. Loved that Bukari got tasked with the penalty and nailed it through, and especially loved watching Bukari maneuver in the crowd and distribute to Ilie, who was waiting in space in front of goal. And finally, loved that we spanked Houston!” - Chris D.
“I hope they know how proud we are as fans. This game was awesome, and they are proving they can do this!! With the Vancouver revenge game and now the Houston revenge game. I don’t know what changed, but if they keep playing like this, we’ll win it all. I’m sure it’s exhausting in this Texas heat, but I hope they continue to fight like this.” - Kalaiah X.
What Lies Ahead?
Austin FC was drawn to play away against the San Jose Earthquakes in the quarterfinals on either July 8th or 9th. Additionally, Austin was drawn second, behind Minnesota United, in the hosting priority draw, and the West Group was selected to host the final. If Austin were to advance and Minnesota was to be eliminated by Chicago, the potential semifinal and final matches would be at Q2 Stadium. If Minnesota and Austin were to both advance, the Verde and Black would travel up North to Minnesota as we do this Saturday.