Once again, Denis Bouanga proved too much for Austin FC, as his brace led LAFC to a 3-1 win. It's another two late goals let in to transform a draw to a loss.
Austin FC, playing its 17th match in its eventful six-year series with LAFC, conceded a pair of goals to Denis Bouanga — his 9th and 10th against Verde in his incredible career — en route to a playoff-chance-ebbing 3-1 loss at BMO Stadium on Wednesday night.
Verde started with Christian Ramírez, Brandon Vázquez, and Facundo Torres in the front three (despite some lineup confusion on various sites), and Jon Gallagher and Joseph Rosales as inverted wingbacks.
(So, so close, FotMob.)
LAFC, meanwhile, ran out Bouanga as a center forward (not his best position) and Son Hueng-min behind him in the No. 10 position (certainly not his best position) to accommodate the rest of the starting lineup.
In the 10th minute, Austin had the first big chance, with Oleksandr Svatok trying to get a set piece ball into goal, and then Ramírez missing big on the rebound to leave the opening goal on the table.
Leo Walta had a dangerous moment for LAFC in the 21st, getting slipped into space just inside the box and uncorking a shot that ended up hitting the crossbar (so, clearly, evading a yet-untested Brad Stuver).
In the 25th, Ramírez sought to play a ball into Rosales for a chance, saved ably by Hugo Lloris, for Verde's first shot on target on the night.
Four minutes later, Bouanga got his first attempt at a goal, getting a ball served in from the right flank but putting an errant header on it. Five minutes after that, he got closer and closer to goal on a similar headed attempt, with a ball launched from the same general area.
In the 52nd — somehow from short range — Bouanga got onto the end of a Son pass to get the lead.
In the 66th, Vázquez was released toward goal via a Myrto Uzuni pass (subbed in for Svatok just moments earlier) and got the equalizer. But a mere minute after that, Stuver hit Son with an errant attempted clearance from goal; that led to Bouanga being again fed at close range for his second goal of the match.
Then, in the 72nd, Bouanga headed a ball upfield to Jacob Shaffelburg (subbed in just before Uzuni was), who found Son with a diagonal pass in front of goal. Stuver was able to get a hand to the shot, but that merely bounced the shot in to expand the lead to two goals.
Bouanga nearly got a hat trick in the 80th, with Walta feeding him a pass from the right wing, but he hit the crossbar with his attempt.
It looked like Shaffelburg got a fourth in stoppage time, as his shot eluded Stuver, but the ball didn't go entirely over the line, and Stuver was able to claw it back before it went into the forbidden zone.
Stuver also made a late save on Sergio Vásquez to keep the score (again) from being 4-1.
Amending our season-long tally from goals let in from the 67th (rather than 68th) minute on, Austin FC's now given up 18 points with those late goals ceded on the season.
Best Verde moment (that wasn’t a goal)
Nearly getting a goal 10 minutes in would have been gamechanging, but alas.
Worst Verde moment (that wasn't a goal allowed)
Letting Bouanga be unchecked for a potential third goal after him burning your back line for two is regrettable. This will be one to go back to in order to see which defensive assignment was missed.
One thing you might have missed
Max Bretos, in the 83rd minute of the Apple TV broadcast, talked about the incredible malls and restaurants that sprung up around Q2 Stadium since it was built. Which is not quite the timeline, but we understand out-of-towners' love for the Domain.
One nerdy tidbit
Per Futi, Verde dominated possession but was thoroughly outmatched in possession xG, finishing with 52% to 37% with 11% contested, but losing possession xG 1.85 to 0.19.
Where this fits into the season's narrative
A second straight loss against an MLS Cup contender puts Austin's playoff hopes into the near-nil territory. A loss against Vancouver on Saturday could plunge the team into "mathematically possible" territory.
A question we have heading into the press conference
Son and Bouanga are known entities threatening Verde's defense. What was the plan against them and how did that go so awry?
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, and join us on Instagram to get updates on all our stories and podcast releases.
Austin FC has faced LAFC 16 times in its history, and it's about to be 17 on Wednesday night. We call up some memories to explain why this series is, in a word, weird.
Both Davy Arnaud and Brad Stuver indicated that it wasn't a good night for Verde and the transformed stadium energy was noticeable, while acknowledging Nashville SC was a formidable opponent.
Against the backdrop of a stadium atmosphere different than anything Verde have experienced before, the team let in three second-half goals to see its eight-match unbeaten streak come to an end.
Austin FC, playing its 17th match in its eventful six-year series with LAFC, conceded a pair of goals to Denis Bouanga — his 9th and 10th against Verde in his incredible career — en route to a playoff-chance-ebbing 3-1 loss at BMO Stadium on Wednesday night.
Verde started with Christian Ramírez, Brandon Vázquez, and Facundo Torres in the front three (despite some lineup confusion on various sites), and Jon Gallagher and Joseph Rosales as inverted wingbacks.
(So, so close, FotMob.)
LAFC, meanwhile, ran out Bouanga as a center forward (not his best position) and Son Hueng-min behind him in the No. 10 position (certainly not his best position) to accommodate the rest of the starting lineup.
In the 10th minute, Austin had the first big chance, with Oleksandr Svatok trying to get a set piece ball into goal, and then Ramírez missing big on the rebound to leave the opening goal on the table.
Leo Walta had a dangerous moment for LAFC in the 21st, getting slipped into space just inside the box and uncorking a shot that ended up hitting the crossbar (so, clearly, evading a yet-untested Brad Stuver).
In the 25th, Ramírez sought to play a ball into Rosales for a chance, saved ably by Hugo Lloris, for Verde's first shot on target on the night.
Four minutes later, Bouanga got his first attempt at a goal, getting a ball served in from the right flank but putting an errant header on it. Five minutes after that, he got closer and closer to goal on a similar headed attempt, with a ball launched from the same general area.
In the 52nd — somehow from short range — Bouanga got onto the end of a Son pass to get the lead.
In the 66th, Vázquez was released toward goal via a Myrto Uzuni pass (subbed in for Svatok just moments earlier) and got the equalizer. But a mere minute after that, Stuver hit Son with an errant attempted clearance from goal; that led to Bouanga being again fed at close range for his second goal of the match.
Then, in the 72nd, Bouanga headed a ball upfield to Jacob Shaffelburg (subbed in just before Uzuni was), who found Son with a diagonal pass in front of goal. Stuver was able to get a hand to the shot, but that merely bounced the shot in to expand the lead to two goals.
Bouanga nearly got a hat trick in the 80th, with Walta feeding him a pass from the right wing, but he hit the crossbar with his attempt.
It looked like Shaffelburg got a fourth in stoppage time, as his shot eluded Stuver, but the ball didn't go entirely over the line, and Stuver was able to claw it back before it went into the forbidden zone.
Stuver also made a late save on Sergio Vásquez to keep the score (again) from being 4-1.
Amending our season-long tally from goals let in from the 67th (rather than 68th) minute on, Austin FC's now given up 18 points with those late goals ceded on the season.
Best Verde moment (that wasn’t a goal)
Nearly getting a goal 10 minutes in would have been gamechanging, but alas.
Worst Verde moment (that wasn't a goal allowed)
Letting Bouanga be unchecked for a potential third goal after him burning your back line for two is regrettable. This will be one to go back to in order to see which defensive assignment was missed.
One thing you might have missed
Max Bretos, in the 83rd minute of the Apple TV broadcast, talked about the incredible malls and restaurants that sprung up around Q2 Stadium since it was built. Which is not quite the timeline, but we understand out-of-towners' love for the Domain.
One nerdy tidbit
Per Futi, Verde dominated possession but was thoroughly outmatched in possession xG, finishing with 52% to 37% with 11% contested, but losing possession xG 1.85 to 0.19.
Where this fits into the season's narrative
A second straight loss against an MLS Cup contender puts Austin's playoff hopes into the near-nil territory. A loss against Vancouver on Saturday could plunge the team into "mathematically possible" territory.
A question we have heading into the press conference
Son and Bouanga are known entities threatening Verde's defense. What was the plan against them and how did that go so awry?
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, and join us on Instagram to get updates on all our stories and podcast releases.
Read Next
Foreign Exchange: Three questions with Southern California News Group's Josh Gross
Ahead of Austin FC playing at LAFC tonight, we checked in with one of the most in-the-know LAFC writers about a team in transition.
To live and die in L.A.: Austin FC's weirdest rivalry continues Wednesday night
Austin FC has faced LAFC 16 times in its history, and it's about to be 17 on Wednesday night. We call up some memories to explain why this series is, in a word, weird.
'We can lose the game, but we don't want to lose the game like that': Assessing Austin FC's dire night and unbeaten streak's end
Both Davy Arnaud and Brad Stuver indicated that it wasn't a good night for Verde and the transformed stadium energy was noticeable, while acknowledging Nashville SC was a formidable opponent.
At the Whistle: Austin FC 1, Nashville SC 4
Against the backdrop of a stadium atmosphere different than anything Verde have experienced before, the team let in three second-half goals to see its eight-match unbeaten streak come to an end.