After over an hour of scoreless soccer, the visitors struck first, but Verde clamored back to get a draw with just their 11th goal of the season.
In Austin FC's first weather-delayed home match of the 2025 season — thanks to a pre-match gullywasher that left your correspondent less than dry thanks to a badly-timed stadium arrival — the hosts let in a Willy Agada set piece goal but got a timely Diego Rubio goal in stoppage time to squeak out a draw against Real Salt Lake, 1-1, at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday night.
RSL engineered its first real heart-in-throat moment in the 15th minute, with Dominik Marczuk getting off an open shot that a running-toward-goal Brendan Hines-Ike was able to backheel before it crossed the line – though right into the path of an onrushing Diego Luna, who inexplicably pulled his point-blank shot wide (but Austin fans will certainly take it).
Verde did the same to RSL fans seven minutes later, with Osman Bukari blazing past a pair of RSL defenders to get near goal, and then serving a cross to Brandon Vázquez he headed into the crossbar.
Alas, no goals at halftime. (Certainly something you're familiar with by now.)
Woes in front of goal continued into the second half for both teams, when Luna stepped up for a free kick opportunity created by an Ilie Sánchez American football tackle worthy of a yellow card. He placed it where Agada could head it home.
Nico Estévez responded by putting Dani Pereira on for his first appearance since the hip flexor injury match against Houston on April 26, and then in the 72nd, Guilherme Biro got off Austin's first shot of the half – a header that bounced into the turf and then, in an indication of how Verde's night was going, over the bar.
Then, it was time for an 80th-minute triple sub, with Diego Rubio, Robert Taylor, and Žan Kolmanič entering the fray.
Finally, in the third minute of stoppage time, a short corner kick played to Kolmanič led to one of his laser-like crosses, finding Rubio for the equalizer.
Despite salvaging the draw, neither team could find a winner, though Luna came alarmingly close on what would be the final play of the match.
Best Verde moment (that wasn’t a goal)
The move that Bukari made to get clear of the defenders to set up the Vázquez attempt was electric and filthy and all the things you want out of a speedy winger with the ability to set up goalscorers.
Thanks to Alex Rubio, we've got the moment captured in three quick successive photos once he's gotten Pablo Ruiz to slip.
Worst Verde moment (that wasn't a goal allowed)
Letting Marczuk and then Luna through for a 15th-minute shot that had 0.7 xG was a perilous moment that they more survived than dealt with. Perhaps it foretold a future goal?
Something you might have missed
Sam Junqua went in as part of an RSL triple sub in the 58th minute. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he's played for both FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo FC. He moved to RSL this season; it's the first non-Texas team he's played for in his MLS career.
Where this fits into the season's narrative
We're bringing this category back, as this is the last home match of the first half of the season, and this is the type of match (12th place opponent, only DP on the roster not even making the trip to Austin) demanding a win. Coming back to get the draw showed heart and desire, but between this draw and the draw earlier this month against Atlanta, six very gettable points became two, and those four missed points could be the difference between playoffs and no playoffs.
One nerdy tidbit
Both teams got to at least 1 xG by halftime, with RSL assembling 1.2 on its seven shots vs. Austin getting to 1 with its five.
A question we have heading into the press conference
We hate asking the same question match after match, but we're now at 11 goals in 16 matches, and seeing encouraging signs from just two of the three designated players — Myrto Uzuni (who we're only now just mentioning) only had 16 touches and no shots. What will it take to get him more involved?
(Notably, only one Austin FC player has more than one goal virtually halfway through the season.)
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. You can comment here if you’re a subscriber, or reach out via Bluesky.
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Austin FC's possession numbers and xG values haven't been sterling in 2026. But the changes made under Davy Arnaud are perceptible and bearing out in the numbers, per one analyst.
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Resiliency is the word of the day, as Austin FC rallied from a three-goal deficit to draw San Diego FC and stay in the playoff race. Despite an eight-match unbeaten streak, the postseason could hinge on beating MLS' best team.
In Austin FC's first weather-delayed home match of the 2025 season — thanks to a pre-match gullywasher that left your correspondent less than dry thanks to a badly-timed stadium arrival — the hosts let in a Willy Agada set piece goal but got a timely Diego Rubio goal in stoppage time to squeak out a draw against Real Salt Lake, 1-1, at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday night.
RSL engineered its first real heart-in-throat moment in the 15th minute, with Dominik Marczuk getting off an open shot that a running-toward-goal Brendan Hines-Ike was able to backheel before it crossed the line – though right into the path of an onrushing Diego Luna, who inexplicably pulled his point-blank shot wide (but Austin fans will certainly take it).
Verde did the same to RSL fans seven minutes later, with Osman Bukari blazing past a pair of RSL defenders to get near goal, and then serving a cross to Brandon Vázquez he headed into the crossbar.
Alas, no goals at halftime. (Certainly something you're familiar with by now.)
Woes in front of goal continued into the second half for both teams, when Luna stepped up for a free kick opportunity created by an Ilie Sánchez American football tackle worthy of a yellow card. He placed it where Agada could head it home.
Nico Estévez responded by putting Dani Pereira on for his first appearance since the hip flexor injury match against Houston on April 26, and then in the 72nd, Guilherme Biro got off Austin's first shot of the half – a header that bounced into the turf and then, in an indication of how Verde's night was going, over the bar.
Then, it was time for an 80th-minute triple sub, with Diego Rubio, Robert Taylor, and Žan Kolmanič entering the fray.
Finally, in the third minute of stoppage time, a short corner kick played to Kolmanič led to one of his laser-like crosses, finding Rubio for the equalizer.
Despite salvaging the draw, neither team could find a winner, though Luna came alarmingly close on what would be the final play of the match.
Best Verde moment (that wasn’t a goal)
The move that Bukari made to get clear of the defenders to set up the Vázquez attempt was electric and filthy and all the things you want out of a speedy winger with the ability to set up goalscorers.
Thanks to Alex Rubio, we've got the moment captured in three quick successive photos once he's gotten Pablo Ruiz to slip.
Worst Verde moment (that wasn't a goal allowed)
Letting Marczuk and then Luna through for a 15th-minute shot that had 0.7 xG was a perilous moment that they more survived than dealt with. Perhaps it foretold a future goal?
Something you might have missed
Sam Junqua went in as part of an RSL triple sub in the 58th minute. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he's played for both FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo FC. He moved to RSL this season; it's the first non-Texas team he's played for in his MLS career.
Where this fits into the season's narrative
We're bringing this category back, as this is the last home match of the first half of the season, and this is the type of match (12th place opponent, only DP on the roster not even making the trip to Austin) demanding a win. Coming back to get the draw showed heart and desire, but between this draw and the draw earlier this month against Atlanta, six very gettable points became two, and those four missed points could be the difference between playoffs and no playoffs.
One nerdy tidbit
Both teams got to at least 1 xG by halftime, with RSL assembling 1.2 on its seven shots vs. Austin getting to 1 with its five.
A question we have heading into the press conference
We hate asking the same question match after match, but we're now at 11 goals in 16 matches, and seeing encouraging signs from just two of the three designated players — Myrto Uzuni (who we're only now just mentioning) only had 16 touches and no shots. What will it take to get him more involved?
(Notably, only one Austin FC player has more than one goal virtually halfway through the season.)
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. You can comment here if you’re a subscriber, or reach out via Bluesky.
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