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Austin FC is officially on a winning streak.
The Verde & Black won their third straight match with a 1-0 road victory over St. Louis on Sunday at Energizer Park. Myrto Uzuni’s goal in the 33rd minute marked the difference; the match was delayed for 35 minutes in the second half by bad thunderstorms in the St. Louis area.
Here are some things to note as Austin FC (4-2-0, 12 points) sits alone in second place in the Western Conference and returns home for a match against Portland on Saturday:
Maybe Austin FC needs to play strictly day games.
This entire winning streak has come with contests started at 3 p.m. or earlier, and though there’s likely nothing to that, it is an intriguing note. And like two weeks ago when it won at LAFC, this was an impressive result that could pay off in the second half of the season when the playoff race starts to take shape.
St. Louis entered the contest with the best defense in MLS having allowed only one goal. But prior to the rain delay, Austin FC was the superior team, and to come away with three points on the road against a club whose nearly sole focus is defending is significant.
Sure, St. Louis’ style of play is mostly eye-bleeding stuff — it arguably doesn’t start its two most dangerous offensive players in Celio Pompeu and João Klauss — and this wasn't a game anyone will want to watch again, but Austin FC doesn’t care about being entertaining on the road.
Osman Bukari was a threat down the right side his entire shift before being subbed off midway through the second half. Though there were a couple of instances when he maybe was too aggressive in taking on defenders, his recognition of being marked by a slow center back in Joakim Nilsson led to Uzuni’s goal.
After being fed a good ball by Owen Wolff, Bukari beat Nilsson in the box, then smartly sent a pass to a wide open Uzuni. (The entire buildup that led to the goal, which started with a long pass from goalie Brad Stuver to Brandon Vazquez, was impressive play by Austin FC.)
Bukari has struggled a bit this season, but he was a difference-maker Sunday that St. Louis had difficulty dealing with.
As it has been all season, Austin FC’s defense was stellar.
Brad Stuver made a couple of noteworthy saves, but he spent most of the match being unchallenged. Austin FC has only given up three goals in six games, which is a credit to the back line no matter the combination of players.
But the fact that Austin FC has played the last three games without right back Mikkel Desler, who is one of the club’s top five players and out with a hamstring injury, makes its defensive performance even more remarkable.
Jon Gallagher has excelled filling in for Desler — Austin FC coach Nico Estévez is going to have a tough decision on what to do with Gallagher when Desler returns in early May — and left back Guilherme Biro and center backs Brendan Hines-Ike, Oleksandr Svatok and Julio Cascante have picked up where they left off from last season.
It’s been exactly what the Verde & Black needed as Vazquez, Uzuni and Bukari are learning each other’s playing styles and tendencies.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin FC vs St. Louis City SC: Verde & Black win third straight
Continue reading...
The Verde & Black won their third straight match with a 1-0 road victory over St. Louis on Sunday at Energizer Park. Myrto Uzuni’s goal in the 33rd minute marked the difference; the match was delayed for 35 minutes in the second half by bad thunderstorms in the St. Louis area.
Here are some things to note as Austin FC (4-2-0, 12 points) sits alone in second place in the Western Conference and returns home for a match against Portland on Saturday:
Another impressive road win
Maybe Austin FC needs to play strictly day games.
This entire winning streak has come with contests started at 3 p.m. or earlier, and though there’s likely nothing to that, it is an intriguing note. And like two weeks ago when it won at LAFC, this was an impressive result that could pay off in the second half of the season when the playoff race starts to take shape.
St. Louis entered the contest with the best defense in MLS having allowed only one goal. But prior to the rain delay, Austin FC was the superior team, and to come away with three points on the road against a club whose nearly sole focus is defending is significant.
Sure, St. Louis’ style of play is mostly eye-bleeding stuff — it arguably doesn’t start its two most dangerous offensive players in Celio Pompeu and João Klauss — and this wasn't a game anyone will want to watch again, but Austin FC doesn’t care about being entertaining on the road.
Osman Bukari rebounds
Osman Bukari was a threat down the right side his entire shift before being subbed off midway through the second half. Though there were a couple of instances when he maybe was too aggressive in taking on defenders, his recognition of being marked by a slow center back in Joakim Nilsson led to Uzuni’s goal.
After being fed a good ball by Owen Wolff, Bukari beat Nilsson in the box, then smartly sent a pass to a wide open Uzuni. (The entire buildup that led to the goal, which started with a long pass from goalie Brad Stuver to Brandon Vazquez, was impressive play by Austin FC.)
Bukari has struggled a bit this season, but he was a difference-maker Sunday that St. Louis had difficulty dealing with.
Sixth straight good performance by Austin FC’s defense
As it has been all season, Austin FC’s defense was stellar.
Brad Stuver made a couple of noteworthy saves, but he spent most of the match being unchallenged. Austin FC has only given up three goals in six games, which is a credit to the back line no matter the combination of players.
But the fact that Austin FC has played the last three games without right back Mikkel Desler, who is one of the club’s top five players and out with a hamstring injury, makes its defensive performance even more remarkable.
Jon Gallagher has excelled filling in for Desler — Austin FC coach Nico Estévez is going to have a tough decision on what to do with Gallagher when Desler returns in early May — and left back Guilherme Biro and center backs Brendan Hines-Ike, Oleksandr Svatok and Julio Cascante have picked up where they left off from last season.
It’s been exactly what the Verde & Black needed as Vazquez, Uzuni and Bukari are learning each other’s playing styles and tendencies.
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin FC vs St. Louis City SC: Verde & Black win third straight
Continue reading...
