It's probably fine: A less-than-full Austin FC squad faces surprising San Diego FC

Austin FC is going into Sunday's matchup with San Diego FC a little thin in its ranks.

Myrto Uzuni and Oleksandr Svatok are off of international duty.

Mikkel Desler is definitely out with a hamstring injury, and while Julio Cascante is making progress with his hamstring injury, it's not at all a sure thing that he'll get a runout. Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez characterized Cascante's status in Thursday's media availability as "day-to-day."

Oh, and Leo Väisänen is on international duty but also quite possibly never to return to Austin, as the rumors about the Finnish defender going to Swedish club BK Hacken are moving into the "significant smoke" category.

That's leading Estévez to invoke Austin FC II names like Antonio Gomez and Riley Thomas to perhaps bolster a team with one healthy and able-to-start center back. (It's all you, Brendan Hines-Ike.)

In case you're counting, Thomas (the SuperDraft fullback) made the trip to Los Angeles last week. Per MLS's Short-Term Agreement rule, a player like Thomas (primarily playing for the MLS Next Pro affiliate) can get four roster call-ups maximum, with two appearances maximum. Thomas didn't appear in the match, so he can still be activated on Sunday if needed, plus in one other match.

But the expected departure of Väisänen – one of just two TAM players currently on the roster, with arguably the least club friendly contract in the squad — would perhaps necessitate Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell needing to pick up another center back this window. (Matt Hedges has said he's available! But there's also a Tom Bogert-delivered rumor that he's trying to reconnect with FC Dallas.)

Jon Gallagher joked about his Swiss Army knife status on Thursday, first saying, "Maybe I'll be playing goalkeeper at this point — maybe the last position I've got to play for this club." But then, when asked about playing center back, he reminded media that he got pressed into duty at the position in Austin's marathon U.S. Open Cup loss to San Antonio back in 2022.

"I don't think we'll see that again," he said. "Hopefully not."

Trying to stay classy

Of course, San Diego – undefeated in its first four matches this season, and, since it's an expansion team, its first four matches ever — is grappling with its own issues.

Though both teams aren't releasing their injury reports until later today, media reports have star winger Hirving Lozano returning to practice rehabbing his own hamstring injury (it's going around!) but still unavailable for Sunday. Less significant, but still affecting how head coach Mikey Varas will set his lineup: Anibal Godoy is out on international duty, playing a role in Panama's 1-0 win over the U.S. men's national team on Thursday, which included an instant classic goal celebration involving a just-sitting-there Thierry Henry.

Andres Dreyer, another of San Diego's designated players, has been the hub for what's been an impressive-at-times offense, Luca de la Torre has been a smart addition to that squad, and Jeppe Tverskov looks to be an impressively sixy 6.

About those goals ...

Austin FC is still looking for its first goal from open play, which Gallagher addressed, saying that they all need to "trust the process" they're creating.

"We're trying to implement new systems and build new connections. I think Brandon [Vázquez] and Myrto played for the first time together just only two weeks ago. So it's not going to gel just like that. And I know fans obviously want to see goals and a return on the investments we made, but I see it every day in training, and everyone else does.

"So I think there's a quiet confidence among us that we will start scoring in bags and bunches. So, yeah, just trying to keep a calm head and not worry too much. I think what's helping is that if you look at the performances, the team actually has been playing really well. And maybe I'm biased, but I feel that the team's creating chances, getting into good positions to score, defending well, playing as a unit. And the next thing obviously to come is the goals. So hopefully this weekend."

Estévez commented on the process as well.

"I think it's a process, and we would love to be already in the right spot, but we just need a little bit more time. And sometimes teams settle right away, and with some teams it takes a little bit more time. I think on the defensive side, we have settled very well, but on the offensive side, it is true that we are taking steps, shorter steps, to get where we want to be."

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