As 0-0 matches go, this one was full of action — including a Myrto Uzuni goal taken away by VAR. Yet, in the end, Verde wasn't able to stop LAFC's ongoing string of clean sheets.
Returning home after a challenging two-match road trip, Austin FC duelled LAFC to a scoreless draw, 0-0, on Saturday night at Q2 Stadium — though for several glorious minutes ultimately turned cruel, it appeared as if Austin had scored the first goal against the Black & Gold all season through continued set piece prowess.
Head coach Nico Estévez went with a lineup much like the one he went with last time out, with Jayden Nelson's back issue (reported on Thursday) keeping him out of the matchday 20, and Christian Ramírez taking his place in a 4-4-2 formation. That included a second straight start for Jon Bell at left back.
In the first 15 minutes, Verde had a 70-30 possession advantage and engineered several chances — primarily engaging Myrto Uzuni — though Ramírez had one moment in the 10th where he was on the end of a hopeful cross but was strong-armed away by Sergi Palencia (without a foul called).
Oleksandr Svatok had a deft diving kick in the 21st minute, following a promising Austin attack suddenly sent the other way, to repel a break before the ball could get into the wide green expanse of the final third.
In the 26th, Timothy Tillman got the match's first yellow card, kicking out at Facundo Torres after ending up on the ground angling to win possession.
Three minutes later — shortly after a sequence in which Ramírez seemingly engineered a corner kick by bouncing a ball of Nkosi Tafari the ref crew deemed to be not quite out, Hines-Ike had the ball drop to him three yards from goal, couldn't quite reach it, and then Hugo Lloris was able to coax it out, albeit not authoritatively — but it was rightly ruled offside.
Son got a free kick opportunity in the 39th minute – from a similar spot on the field where he hit his 2025 MLS Goal of the Year — which slipped over the bar (and reportedly lodged into the capo stand, wedgie-style, based on one fan's account and not-entirely-clear photo).
In the 41st, following a foot-to-ankle maiming on Nicolás Dubersarsky by Eddie Segura — not unlike the contact that got Guilherme Biro tossed from the match against Charlotte — the yellow card got a red card check but it remained a yellow.
In the 50th minute, Ilie Sánchez got stripped of the ball in Austin's half, leading to a scary Bouanga breakaway, then leading to a shot that went decently wide of the target — but concerningly showed what LAFC's capable of in moments (especially moments that can turn scoreless matches into not-scoreless matches).
Much of the first 15 minutes of the second half was played in Austin's defensive half of the field — with Uzuni trying to engineer a couple of breakaways to reclaim momentum, but going into disadvantageous one-on-two scenarios and getting those attempts repelled.
In the 59th minute, Uzuni lurched toward a ball and got off a shot that Nkosi Tafari immediately made contact on — but the ball still nearly caromed into the goal regardless.
Finally, in the 63rd, Austin looked as if it got its breakthrough, with Gallagher winning a corner by bouncing a pass off Tafari, leading to a Torres free kick that Uzuni hammered home. However, video review revealed that he hammered the ball home through Sánchez's legs, and the captain was standing in an offside position while being the wicket to Uzuni's croquet mallet, so the game remained scoreless.
In the 70th, Estévez made his first subs, getting a visibly frustrated Ilie and Bell off for the Card Machine Twins (Guilherme Biro and Besard Šabović).
In the 77th, an Austin FC corner kick nearly went awry when LAFC got a breakaway from it, with the very scary proposition of Son bearing down on goal. But Rosales was able to catch up, and making the stop and reversal look easier than it actually was.
CJ Fodrey and Mikkel Desler got in for Ramírez and Gallagher in the 79th, and Fodrey very nearly scored immediately, getting a foot on a pass at the edge of the box and looping a lobbed shot that hit the crossbar on its way down.
Verde mustered a moment of luck and then a moment of fantastic defense to keep the clean sheet going. First, in the 85th minute, Mark Delgado hit the post with a shot that bounced out into the danger zone before being dealt with.
And then, a minute later, Son bore down on goal, but Hines-Ike got in a slide tackle from behind with Svatok flanking him, and Stuver coolly collected the ball. Son laid on the turf, the Spursiness[[1]] radiating off him, as play resumed.
Estévez got Žan Kolmanič on for Dubersarsky with his final sub in advance of six minutes of stoppage time. That notably included a 90'+4' Uzuni shot that sent Lloris airborne for the save, and a Torres header attempt two minutes later that was started by Uzuni stripping Bouanga of the ball and making a break upfield.
Best Verde moment (that wasn’t a goal)
Though not ultimately counted as a goal, the set piece was a thing of beauty, and probably would have gone in the same had Ilie not been in the position he was (like, say, an onside position removed from the path of the ball).
Also, that Rosales stop on Son was glorious, as was the Hines-Ike one.
Worst Verde moment (that wasn't a goal allowed)
In the 12th minute, Rosales had a cheap, unforced giveaway to Son that turned into a chance for Tillman. Fortunately for Austin, his shot went wide, but it's the kind of moment you can't give an opportunistic team like LAFC. (Bell made a similar bad pass to Son inside the box in the 24th, leading to a Son shot that caromed off Brendan Hines-Ike.
One thing you might have missed
Uzuni gave referee Rubiel Vazquez a very friendly handshake-to-bro-hug right before kickoff. (It did not seem to pay off.)
One nerdy tidbit
Per the MLS broadcast at halftime, LAFC has engineered 1.16 xG to Austin's 0.45, even though Verde looked the more threatening team throughout the first 45.
Where this fits into the season's narrative
A home draw isn't the best result, but a hard-fought home draw against LAFC stops a two-match losing streak and is a positive to perhaps build on as March gives way to April.
A question we have going into the press conference
This appeared to be Uzuni's best match of the season, and yet he was unlucky to get a goal, and LAFC's clean sheet streak continues, though Austin also got to start its own clean sheet streak that it hopes to continue in a South Florida stadium two weeks from tonight. What will it take, though, for this team to score from open play in a non-fluky manner.
[[1]] Shout out to all my Tottenham fan friends!
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
LAFC is out to a strong start in 2026, but the MLS of it all might mean that they concede their first goal of the season on Saturday. If you need a little glimmer of hope that it happens, read on.
Based on recent form and what oddsmakers are saying, this match doesn't bode well for Austin FC. But as this team's coach and captain will tell you, it's really up to the players.
Verde suffered an own goal and a relative lack of chances compared to the hosts on Saturday night. But head coach Nico Estévez still believes his team did enough to split the points.
Returning home after a challenging two-match road trip, Austin FC duelled LAFC to a scoreless draw, 0-0, on Saturday night at Q2 Stadium — though for several glorious minutes ultimately turned cruel, it appeared as if Austin had scored the first goal against the Black & Gold all season through continued set piece prowess.
Head coach Nico Estévez went with a lineup much like the one he went with last time out, with Jayden Nelson's back issue (reported on Thursday) keeping him out of the matchday 20, and Christian Ramírez taking his place in a 4-4-2 formation. That included a second straight start for Jon Bell at left back.
In the first 15 minutes, Verde had a 70-30 possession advantage and engineered several chances — primarily engaging Myrto Uzuni — though Ramírez had one moment in the 10th where he was on the end of a hopeful cross but was strong-armed away by Sergi Palencia (without a foul called).
Oleksandr Svatok had a deft diving kick in the 21st minute, following a promising Austin attack suddenly sent the other way, to repel a break before the ball could get into the wide green expanse of the final third.
In the 26th, Timothy Tillman got the match's first yellow card, kicking out at Facundo Torres after ending up on the ground angling to win possession.
Three minutes later — shortly after a sequence in which Ramírez seemingly engineered a corner kick by bouncing a ball of Nkosi Tafari the ref crew deemed to be not quite out, Hines-Ike had the ball drop to him three yards from goal, couldn't quite reach it, and then Hugo Lloris was able to coax it out, albeit not authoritatively — but it was rightly ruled offside.
Son got a free kick opportunity in the 39th minute – from a similar spot on the field where he hit his 2025 MLS Goal of the Year — which slipped over the bar (and reportedly lodged into the capo stand, wedgie-style, based on one fan's account and not-entirely-clear photo).
In the 41st, following a foot-to-ankle maiming on Nicolás Dubersarsky by Eddie Segura — not unlike the contact that got Guilherme Biro tossed from the match against Charlotte — the yellow card got a red card check but it remained a yellow.
In the 50th minute, Ilie Sánchez got stripped of the ball in Austin's half, leading to a scary Bouanga breakaway, then leading to a shot that went decently wide of the target — but concerningly showed what LAFC's capable of in moments (especially moments that can turn scoreless matches into not-scoreless matches).
Much of the first 15 minutes of the second half was played in Austin's defensive half of the field — with Uzuni trying to engineer a couple of breakaways to reclaim momentum, but going into disadvantageous one-on-two scenarios and getting those attempts repelled.
In the 59th minute, Uzuni lurched toward a ball and got off a shot that Nkosi Tafari immediately made contact on — but the ball still nearly caromed into the goal regardless.
Finally, in the 63rd, Austin looked as if it got its breakthrough, with Gallagher winning a corner by bouncing a pass off Tafari, leading to a Torres free kick that Uzuni hammered home. However, video review revealed that he hammered the ball home through Sánchez's legs, and the captain was standing in an offside position while being the wicket to Uzuni's croquet mallet, so the game remained scoreless.
In the 70th, Estévez made his first subs, getting a visibly frustrated Ilie and Bell off for the Card Machine Twins (Guilherme Biro and Besard Šabović).
In the 77th, an Austin FC corner kick nearly went awry when LAFC got a breakaway from it, with the very scary proposition of Son bearing down on goal. But Rosales was able to catch up, and making the stop and reversal look easier than it actually was.
CJ Fodrey and Mikkel Desler got in for Ramírez and Gallagher in the 79th, and Fodrey very nearly scored immediately, getting a foot on a pass at the edge of the box and looping a lobbed shot that hit the crossbar on its way down.
Verde mustered a moment of luck and then a moment of fantastic defense to keep the clean sheet going. First, in the 85th minute, Mark Delgado hit the post with a shot that bounced out into the danger zone before being dealt with.
And then, a minute later, Son bore down on goal, but Hines-Ike got in a slide tackle from behind with Svatok flanking him, and Stuver coolly collected the ball. Son laid on the turf, the Spursiness[[1]] radiating off him, as play resumed.
Estévez got Žan Kolmanič on for Dubersarsky with his final sub in advance of six minutes of stoppage time. That notably included a 90'+4' Uzuni shot that sent Lloris airborne for the save, and a Torres header attempt two minutes later that was started by Uzuni stripping Bouanga of the ball and making a break upfield.
Best Verde moment (that wasn’t a goal)
Though not ultimately counted as a goal, the set piece was a thing of beauty, and probably would have gone in the same had Ilie not been in the position he was (like, say, an onside position removed from the path of the ball).
Also, that Rosales stop on Son was glorious, as was the Hines-Ike one.
Worst Verde moment (that wasn't a goal allowed)
In the 12th minute, Rosales had a cheap, unforced giveaway to Son that turned into a chance for Tillman. Fortunately for Austin, his shot went wide, but it's the kind of moment you can't give an opportunistic team like LAFC. (Bell made a similar bad pass to Son inside the box in the 24th, leading to a Son shot that caromed off Brendan Hines-Ike.
One thing you might have missed
Uzuni gave referee Rubiel Vazquez a very friendly handshake-to-bro-hug right before kickoff. (It did not seem to pay off.)
One nerdy tidbit
Per the MLS broadcast at halftime, LAFC has engineered 1.16 xG to Austin's 0.45, even though Verde looked the more threatening team throughout the first 45.
Where this fits into the season's narrative
A home draw isn't the best result, but a hard-fought home draw against LAFC stops a two-match losing streak and is a positive to perhaps build on as March gives way to April.
A question we have going into the press conference
This appeared to be Uzuni's best match of the season, and yet he was unlucky to get a goal, and LAFC's clean sheet streak continues, though Austin also got to start its own clean sheet streak that it hopes to continue in a South Florida stadium two weeks from tonight. What will it take, though, for this team to score from open play in a non-fluky manner.
[[1]] Shout out to all my Tottenham fan friends!
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
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