Mixed Feelings: Takeaways From Austin FC @ Minnesota United
Austin FC is three matches unbeaten, yet they have not won a league game in six. The cup has been a breath of fresh air with two wins from two, but the league form has been dismal recently. Despite that, recent matches have shown promise, both in terms of results and tactics, with Osman Bukari finally finding his rhythm and Brandon Vázquez netting six goals in the last seven games while earning back-to-back draws against the top two sides in the West.
Takeaway #1: Defensive Stability
Nico started this game with a 5-2-3 (or 3-4-3) formation, favoring defensive stability. Nico Dubersarsky joined Besard Šabović in midfield as the lone pairing in the middle of the park — both of whom are defensive-minded — along with 3 center backs in Guilherme Biro, Brendan Hines-Ike, and Oleksandr Svatok. This seemed like a pretty exquisite gameplan considering the opponents, but just 16 minutes in, 2 of Minnesota’s center-backs linked up to put the Loons 1-0 up, and it should have been more just minutes after when a careless pass out of the back almost led to another if not for a brilliant save from Stuver. Trying to give Minnesota the ball and play on the counter was a great strategy, and it made the Loons very uncomfortable as they are a counterattacking side. It’s nice to see Nico adjusting tactics based on the opponent, and when Desler, Pereira, and Taylor are fully healthy, we should be able to win games like this one more often.
Takeaway #2: Player Analysis
Nico Dubersarsky earned his first start since joining in late January after an impressive midweek performance, but the nerves got to him as he made careless passes and was robbed of the ball several times before being replaced by club captain Ilie. Dubersarsky has potential, don’t get me wrong, but he isn’t quite up to par with the pace of play in MLS. His ball-winning ability is great, but on the ball, he is tense, and nervous, and often doesn’t advance the ball quickly enough or even get rid of it quick enough, leading to some sticky situations for the defense to clean up. We signed him to quite a long contract, and once he finally gains some much-needed confidence, he has a chance to be one of the first names on the team sheet and to make a name for himself in MLS and around the world. Elsewhere, Uzuni had a solid performance, and fans need to be patient with him. He took time to get going at his previous club and ended up as the club’s record goal scorer. Kolmanič grabbed his first goal since joining in early 2021 after a crazy counter-attacking sequence midway through the first half. Bukari had his 3rd straight good game, and it just so happens that he was played on the right-hand side again (who could have guessed). With Real Salt Lake at home midweek, all signs point to a dominant win for the Verde and Black, something they desperately need.
Minnesota Takeaways:
By the scoreline, it is obvious that it was hard for us to get anything really dangerous going. Despite not winning this match (which I still felt that we should have won, at least on paper), I am not worried at all, given our current form and knowing how busy the schedule has been lately. We'll have some tough games this week against the top team in the West, as well as Seattle, who always plays well against us.
Austin FC Fan Takeaways:
“Lost focus for like 5 minutes and conceded a goal, but besides that, we played well overall, great game again from Bukari. Uzuni yet again is missing so many crucial chances that could have won us the game, and it’s becoming a serious problem.” - Tucker C.
“Not the worst game ever, but far from the best. Our offensive struggles were on full display, and Uzuni is really proving to be a disappointment. Hopefully, he can turn up as we expect. Keeping in mind that the ref was horrid for both sides, though a point feels good.” - Landon T.
“Huge match for Žan, scoring his first goal in an Austin FC jersey and getting us a draw against a team that wiped the floor with us was everything I could have ever hoped and dreamed for. Uzuni was alright. He missed a few solid chances, but he provided the assist and certainly had an impact. The commentators said it best: Uzuni took time to settle in Granada, and it will take him time to get his feet under him in Austin. We, as a fanbase, need to give him more time to settle in, and when he does, he will break records and help us win titles just like he promised. We started out with a pretty interesting lineup that favored defensive stability, which almost went out the window just 20 minutes in, but some Stuver heroics kept us in the game. Dubersarsky got his first start in league play, and he was a bit shaky, but he’s only 20, and the potential is quite obviously there. This match could have gone either way and in the end, it went neither way. Fair result, onto the next.” - John L.
“Uzuni is the MLS version of Darwin Nunez. Too bad Austin doesn’t have a Luis Diaz or Diego Jota sitting there to take his spot. I went into last night hoping for a point, left the match disappointed in the point.” - Dustin W.
Minnesota United Fan Takeaways:
“Disappointing. Tons of chances, but couldn’t finish the job. We played down to our competition and not to our strengths. We had no counterattacks worth any substance, and we conceded a goal on a great counterattack. Boxy looked great, was all over the place defensively, and was a bright spot through the whole game. On top of that, we needed the 3 points as we have a short week and a road trip to Vancouver.” - Parker P.
“#BoxyForStriker, Boxy with and good header to open the scoring counts towards his 20th goal. Austin had a good counterattack to slip a goal past my glorious king (DSC). The ref was blind. What game was he watching? The entire point of being a ref is integrity, following the rules, and being truthful. He so obviously was trying to help Austin, somehow every Austin dive is a yellow, but nothing happens when Austin fouled us.” - Jacob J.
“Rosales is back and performed very well in the second half, but it’s hard to argue with the way Markanich has been playing. Tough decision for me on who should get the spot. Being in the stadium and standing in the supporters section for that game, you could feel it. The energy was higher than I have ever seen, the whole stadium was chanting near the end on multiple occasions. This season is bringing the fans together on a new level, allowing for a true home-field advantage that we can hopefully capitalize on in the future.” - Tim J.
“That was a fantastic game to watch, with the overall flow and attacking. That being said, there were a handful of glaring errors throughout the play that both prevented scoring opportunities as well as allowed a goal from a team that does not finish. Boxall is still playing out of his mind at this stage in his career, and I’m confident we’ll get another quality season out of him next year before he retires. Overall, just need to finish and play more cohesive.” - Daily Cows
What Lies Ahead?
Austin FC returns to Q2 Stadium this Wednesday to face fellow Western Conference letdowns Real Salt Lake. It will be an opportunity for the struggling Verde and Black to finally turn their MLS form around, having not won a match in the last 6. As we near the halfway point of the regular season, Austin FC stands on the edge of the playoff line, looking out, and if they can’t win this match, the rest of the season likely won’t be pleasant.
A big thanks to Loons Legion for writing the Minnesota United portion of this preview. Check them out here: https://www.instagram.com/loonslegion