On this Decision Day match between Austin FC and the San Jose Earthquakes, which only impacted the Quakes' playoff fortunes with the visitors already eliminated, Austin FC managed to salvage a 1-1 draw thanks to one of the most parabolic goals of the season — an Owen Wolff header to answer a Cristian Espinoza opener coming from another in a series of shambolic defensive efforts that marked the 2023 season.
The match was light on action, with the teams combining for three shots on goals and a paltry 0.7 xG in the first half, working up to a not-much-better eight shots on goal and 1.6 xG by the end of the 90.
The sad part in that? The second-half build was all San Jose, finishing with seven shots on goal and 1.3 xG, to Austin’s anemic one shot on goal – we’ll get to how shotty that shot was in a moment — and a 0.3 xG.
Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff, in an exclusive interview after the match — arranged hastily due to failing WiFi in the capital of Silicon Valley bouncing me and the other Austin-based reporter from the hybrid live/online press conference just several minutes in — said that even though he and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell would consider the striker position in the offseason, he feels what the team does is fundamentally sound.
“I think we will look at a lot of options in the next week and assess where we can get better,” Wolff said. “I mean, we do a good job creating goals. We do a good job with the ball. I think we disorganize the opponent and we get into very good positions to have final actions and create situations that are dangerous.”
