Austin FC held some measure of hope for a half hour, getting a match against FC Cincinnati level, but the Eastern Conference powerhouse was too much at TQL Stadium on Saturday night. Thanks to a goal and assist by early league MVP candidate Evander, the hosts sent Verde back to Austin nursing a 2-1 defeat that could have been worse.
It only took 11 minutes and change for Evander to get FCC's first goal, getting the ball just inside the 18-yard box with acres of space and time to shoot.
Two minutes after Evander's goal, striker Kévin Denkey got free in front of Austin's goal to test goalkeeper Brad Stuver. Thankfully, Stuver was up to the test, though FCC was just one better-placed shot from making it 2-0, as was Evander just five minutes later. (See Worst Verde Moment below.)
However, Verde were able to contain the initial damage, keeping it to a 1-0 deficit at the half, and FCC defensive linchpin Matt Miazga went out with an injury (later revealed as hamstring tightness) before halftime, getting spelled by former Dynamo defensive player Teenage Hadebe, getting his first minutes in nearly two months.
Less than a minute after the restart, a Hadebe handball at the edge of the box led to a Vázquez penalty kick, which he converted, followed by a very subdued goal celebration given his status as a former beloved FCC player. Several minutes later, Hadebe challenged Owen Wolff as he moved toward goal, and it looked as if FCC might have to play the dreaded sub-for-a-sub card, but the Zimbabwe international was able to return.
For a while, Verde was exhibiting some of the defensive prowess they'd mustered in their early matches. But then, in the 76th minute, they got Evandered again. With time and space just inside the 18 — not so far from where he scored his goal — Evander lofted a perfectly-weighted pass to the far post, where a hard-charging Gerardo Valenzuela emphatically finished, after the pass just evaded Guilherme Biro's attempt to head the ball away. (You've heard the cliche that soccer/baseball is a game of inches; this is a case where that's painfully true.)
Osman Bukari made a late appearance, subbing for a largely invisible Myrto Uzuni, but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss many expected as soon as this match appeared on the schedule.
It could have been worse; in the third minute of stoppage time, Denkey ran free on goal and set up Valenzuela for a shot, which Stuver was just able to parry away.
Best Verde moment (that wasn’t a goal)
Stuver's save in the 57th minute on a Denkey header. Unreal how close that was. The save kept Austin in the match (for a while).
Worst Verde moment (that wasn't a goal allowed)
In the 19th minute, with Verde hanging on to keep the match from going to 2-0, Žan Kolmanič dumped an errant pass straight to Evander, who sent in a wicked curling shot that bounced off the post. Just a few more inches to the inside, and it would have been a Goal of the Year candidate — completely at Austin's expense.
Something you might have missed
In the opening segment of the match, the Apple TV announcers went on a bit of a soapbox moment on Estévez having to deal with press conferences in which mean journalists brought up the lack of goals this team's scored, contending that both coach and players haven't had the chance to acclimate. (I believe we're talking about a team that's averaging 2/3 of a goal per match, yes? I mean, at least someone's watching us in action in our press conferences!)
Austin had one last chance to score with time running out, but couldn't engineer an effective shot, and the referee sounded the final whistle as Verde players were attempting to reset.
One nerdy tidbit
Per FotMob, Austin led the xG battle at halftime, 0.95 to 0.64, without getting a single shot on target. (They would finish with two to FCC's seven while winning the xG battle 2.14 to 1.59.)
A question we have heading into the press conference
How do you leave an MVP candidate unmarked to factor into both FCC goals?
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.
Austin FC held some measure of hope for a half hour, getting a match against FC Cincinnati level, but the Eastern Conference powerhouse was too much at TQL Stadium on Saturday night. Thanks to a goal and assist by early league MVP candidate Evander, the hosts sent Verde back to Austin nursing a 2-1 defeat that could have been worse.
It only took 11 minutes and change for Evander to get FCC's first goal, getting the ball just inside the 18-yard box with acres of space and time to shoot.
Two minutes after Evander's goal, striker Kévin Denkey got free in front of Austin's goal to test goalkeeper Brad Stuver. Thankfully, Stuver was up to the test, though FCC was just one better-placed shot from making it 2-0, as was Evander just five minutes later. (See Worst Verde Moment below.)
However, Verde were able to contain the initial damage, keeping it to a 1-0 deficit at the half, and FCC defensive linchpin Matt Miazga went out with an injury (later revealed as hamstring tightness) before halftime, getting spelled by former Dynamo defensive player Teenage Hadebe, getting his first minutes in nearly two months.
Less than a minute after the restart, a Hadebe handball at the edge of the box led to a Vázquez penalty kick, which he converted, followed by a very subdued goal celebration given his status as a former beloved FCC player. Several minutes later, Hadebe challenged Owen Wolff as he moved toward goal, and it looked as if FCC might have to play the dreaded sub-for-a-sub card, but the Zimbabwe international was able to return.
For a while, Verde was exhibiting some of the defensive prowess they'd mustered in their early matches. But then, in the 76th minute, they got Evandered again. With time and space just inside the 18 — not so far from where he scored his goal — Evander lofted a perfectly-weighted pass to the far post, where a hard-charging Gerardo Valenzuela emphatically finished, after the pass just evaded Guilherme Biro's attempt to head the ball away. (You've heard the cliche that soccer/baseball is a game of inches; this is a case where that's painfully true.)
Osman Bukari made a late appearance, subbing for a largely invisible Myrto Uzuni, but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss many expected as soon as this match appeared on the schedule.
It could have been worse; in the third minute of stoppage time, Denkey ran free on goal and set up Valenzuela for a shot, which Stuver was just able to parry away.
Best Verde moment (that wasn’t a goal)
Stuver's save in the 57th minute on a Denkey header. Unreal how close that was. The save kept Austin in the match (for a while).
Worst Verde moment (that wasn't a goal allowed)
In the 19th minute, with Verde hanging on to keep the match from going to 2-0, Žan Kolmanič dumped an errant pass straight to Evander, who sent in a wicked curling shot that bounced off the post. Just a few more inches to the inside, and it would have been a Goal of the Year candidate — completely at Austin's expense.
Something you might have missed
In the opening segment of the match, the Apple TV announcers went on a bit of a soapbox moment on Estévez having to deal with press conferences in which mean journalists brought up the lack of goals this team's scored, contending that both coach and players haven't had the chance to acclimate. (I believe we're talking about a team that's averaging 2/3 of a goal per match, yes? I mean, at least someone's watching us in action in our press conferences!)
Austin had one last chance to score with time running out, but couldn't engineer an effective shot, and the referee sounded the final whistle as Verde players were attempting to reset.
One nerdy tidbit
Per FotMob, Austin led the xG battle at halftime, 0.95 to 0.64, without getting a single shot on target. (They would finish with two to FCC's seven while winning the xG battle 2.14 to 1.59.)
A question we have heading into the press conference
How do you leave an MVP candidate unmarked to factor into both FCC goals?
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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