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Austin FC saved something from the week on Saturday.
Seeing their third loss in eight days when they trailed Charlotte late in the second half, the Verde & Black pulled a point from the stretch thanks to Jon Gallagher’s goal that earned them a 2-2 draw at Q2 Stadium.
It may not have been the result the club wanted, but they avoided a minor disaster and now offer a fresh start with the League Cup starting on Friday. Alex Ring joined Gallagher in scoring for the Verde & Black (8-10-7, 31 points), while Karol Swiderski finished off a penalty and Iuri Tavares found the back of the net for Charlotte.
Here are some thoughts from Austin FC’s last MLS game in a month when they begin League Cup play at home against Liga MX’s Pumas UNAM:
Osman Bukari responds to the noise
Austin FC the youngest designated player it was everything the club expected.
Bukari was easily the fastest player on the field and showed the ability to successfully beat defenders in one-on-one situations. He created several scoring chances, and once he gets fit enough to play the whole game and is fully on par with his teammates, he will benefit the club even more than what he showed on Saturday.
It’s a shame that Austin FC didn’t take advantage of what Bukari provided for the first 20 minutes of the game, because if he had, we’re probably talking about the club winning.
Right-back Mikkel Desler also made his debut when he was subbed off in the second half. Although he didn’t do anything spectacular, he did well and will be a positive addition once he is fit to play 60 minutes or more.
Defensive errors were costly
Ring had a slight lapse in judgment when he made a challenge in the box late in the first half that led to Swiderski’s penalty. While it was clearly a soft call to award a penalty, Ring’s challenge was unnecessary as it came against a player near the top of the box who had his back to goal.
Charlotte’s second score came when Austin FC right back Hector Jiménez was simply beaten on a Tavares cross.
If there’s one criticism of Verde & Black coach Josh Wolff this game, it’s that he took Jiménez out for the second half. While soccer is transitional in making first-half substitutions, Austin FC got a solid first half from Jiménez, who is four months shy of turning 36 and is the team’s highest-paid player.
More:Sebastián Driussi was sent off after Austin FC lost to FC Dallas in the Copa Tejas championship game
Wolff was in a difficult situation in the position with Gallagher, the team’s regular starter at right-back, and Owen Wolff being on heavy footing from the previous two games and Desler was fit enough for 30 minutes. But Jiménez is a liability when he’s on the field for more than 30 minutes, and Austin FC should have considered getting a productive half out of him.
Player of the match: Dani Pereira
Playing further up the pitch as an attacking midfielder with Sebastián Driussi suspended for the game instead of his usual place as a defensive midfielder, Pereira shone. His passing and movement with and without the ball was fantastic, and his assist on Ring’s goal was a thing of beauty.
Pereira mentioned after the game that he is more comfortable playing as an attacking midfielder, and although Driussi’s return on Friday will see him return to his usual spot, he gave the coaching staff something to think about.
Conclusion: In this case, you get the point
Although not desirable, a draw here was acceptable with Driussi and centre-back Julio Cascante missing.
Austin FC got some good news from the league when it decided that Driussi’s suspension would only be one game, and when the club returns to MLS play on Aug. 24 in Nashville, it will have its best squad of the season with Bukarin, Desler and the young center back. Oleksandr Svatok skilled and fast.
However, sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference, two points behind Minnesota and one point ahead of Dallas, the club’s margin of error in the last nine games of the season is very small. Taking anything from the two road games against Los Angeles teams will be difficult, so Austin FC must deliver results in the remaining seven contests and find a way to end the season with at least 44 points and I hope that sets it up. playoffs.
League Cup
Austin FC should be able to play loosely and aggressively in their matches against Pumas UNAM and fellow Liga MX club Monterrey in the group stage of the competition as they have nothing to lose. The Verde & Black were done no favors with their draw to face two of the best teams in Mexico and will be underdogs in both contests, even with home field advantage to play at the Q2 Stadium .
If Austin FC can make it out of group play, it should be considered a tremendous success.
Austin FC vs Charlotte Player Ratings
(Players rated 1-10, with 10 being the highest)
Forward: Gyasi Zardes 4.5
Midfield: Jáder Obrian 6.5, Alex Ring 6, Dani Pereira 9, Jhojan Valencia 5, Osman Bukari 8.5
Protection: Guilherme Biro 6, Brandan Hines-Ike 8, Matt Hedges 6, Hector Jiménez 3.5.
Goalkeeper: Brad Stover 7.5
Subscriptions: Jon Gallagher 8, Mikkel Desler 6.5, Zan Kolmanic 6.5, Diego Rubio 7.5, Owen Wolff 6.
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