'We lost the shape; we lost the plan': Assessing another home draw that felt like a loss
Nico Estévez asserted that if Saturday's match against the Revolution were played ten times, Austin would win nine of those. Here's some perspective on that apparent 10th game.
At the start of Saturday night's press conference following Austin FC's 0-0 home draw against the New England Revolution, head coach Nico Estévez did the thing he's been doing more than once this season: Citing the expected goals his players generated, assessing his team as unlucky in not capitalizing on chances, and even asserting, "It's a game that, if you play [it] 10 times, nine, you win."
But he also had some criticism for how they closed out the match, noting, "At the end, we lost, we lost the shape, we lost the plan ... we just have to be patient," before saying the chances were there. "We were pushing. We were having effort, but not clear ideas," he said of the closing phase of the game, which included Jon Gallagher's mishit final third pass toward the end of stoppage time earning Estévez a Face of the Week "award" from MLS' Matthew Doyle. "Until that, we had clear ideas on how to score goals."
He also noted that there might have been a bit of a hangover effect from Tuesday's marathon Open Cup match against San Jose that propelled them into the tournament's final four.
"We're coming from a really difficult game," he said, "Look at San Jose, look what they did today," pointing to their 4-1 loss at Minnesota. "It's tough to come back from 120 minutes, travel, everything ... I know that everything that the players do is in order to win, but we need to win as a team. We were disconnected at the end of the game, and it was at the end of the game that I didn't think we would deserve to win the game. We were pushing, we were having effort, but not clear ideas. I think, until then, we had clear ideas on how to score goals."
Those included two golden Myrto Uzuni chances — receiving a square ball in front of goal from Osman Bukari in the 16th minute, which he shot where Revs goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic could kick it away, and an 81st-minute attempt that struck the crossbar.
"He worked really hard, and he should be the man of the match today, making us win," Estévez said in assessing Uzuni's performance. "I feel if he continues to have those chances, he will help the team scoring goals." While he did admit that Uzuni could improve his accuracy, something he said he and the coaching staff would work with him on, he also noted, "He created enough chances today to make the difference in the game. I'm really happy at the end of the day; some games, we've seen that he didn't create those chances."
While Robert Taylor got in as part of a triple sub near the hour mark — rotation made essential by the mileage that Tuesday's match put on him — his inclusion into matches from the get-go is one of the few substantial lineup changes available for Estévez to shuffle a team that's now managed just 15 goals in 21 matches. Only Estévez intimated that Taylor — who got 22 starts for a 2024 Miami team full of global superstars – isn't ready yet.
"To start, you have to deserve to start," Estévez said, instead giving Diego Rubio the starting nod in a lineup reshuffled by Brandon Vázquez's season-ending injury. "He has to keep working hard in order that he's available as a starting player ... he's making progress. We ask a lot of our wingers, but he still needs a little bit more time.
"I'm not saying that he's not going to start on Wednesday. He could start on Wednesday," he added. "He's making progress, but we have to analyze a lot of things for the game, how everyone recovers, how everyone is ready to go. I think the good thing today is we used a lot of players," again noting the wear that Tuesday's match put on the squad, "and that rotation will help us to be a stronger team for Wednesday."
Diego Rubio got the rare start for Austin on Saturday (OtraXFavor)
Player perspectives
On a night where you could hardly blame players for not wanting to talk, both Brad Stuver and Ilie Sánchez provided some insights on the match and where it fits into the long season.
"Moving on in Open Cup was a goal of ours," Stuver said in assessing the week. "We made into the semifinals; that's something that we haven't done before in the club, and obviously it gives us two games before we can lift the trophy, and we're very focused on that when the time comes. Tonight, again, being able to draw at home feels a little bit like a loss, just because you want to take away three points when you can. And we have 13 games left, and we know we need to make up ground, so we need to rest up and be ready to go."
"We know that we have a good group of guys, but we are still not getting it where we want to be, and that's more with the approach of putting our individual qualities towards the collective more than just going out there and trying to shine," Sánchez said.
"We have to take the positives, but we have to be also self-critical with ourselves, and know that tonight it was about repeating and repeating what we knew worked and what we saw work a few times throughout the game," he added. "So sometimes it's not about performing physically, but also, how much can you be consistent mentally, doing what you know it's going to work against the opponent with the ball, but also without the ball .. especially when you come from a midweek game with the extra time, that emotional game with all of what happened to Brandon, we need to be tougher, mentally, repeating what works against the following opponent."
What's next
Of course, that following opponent is the LA Galaxy, who beat D.C. United 2-1 in Saturday's late match on the strength of a Marco Reus goal and a Diego Fagúndez goal — improving their season record to 3-13-6, because it's been that kind of season for them. After the All-Star break, Austin will play D.C. at Audi Field — coming off that loss in Carson in new head coach René Weiler's debut.
Then, Verde won't play again until their next home match, coming Aug. 9 against the Dynamo to kick off a key Copa Tejas stretch including an Aug. 16 match hosting FC Dallas.
With just a St. Louis-Portland match set for Sunday that won't change Verde's place in the standings, they currently stand ninth in the conference, meaning that if the season ended today, they'd have to travel to San Jose for the play-in match. That, of course, is where they'll be for Decision Day, so figure on this newly-keen rivalry having an outsized effect on Verde's playoff fortunes.
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.
As far as the Open Cup goes, Austin FC waits for a semifinal match in September with a chance to host the final. But the most important wait now is for the star forward's MRI results.
At the start of Saturday night's press conference following Austin FC's 0-0 home draw against the New England Revolution, head coach Nico Estévez did the thing he's been doing more than once this season: Citing the expected goals his players generated, assessing his team as unlucky in not capitalizing on chances, and even asserting, "It's a game that, if you play [it] 10 times, nine, you win."
But he also had some criticism for how they closed out the match, noting, "At the end, we lost, we lost the shape, we lost the plan ... we just have to be patient," before saying the chances were there. "We were pushing. We were having effort, but not clear ideas," he said of the closing phase of the game, which included Jon Gallagher's mishit final third pass toward the end of stoppage time earning Estévez a Face of the Week "award" from MLS' Matthew Doyle. "Until that, we had clear ideas on how to score goals."
He also noted that there might have been a bit of a hangover effect from Tuesday's marathon Open Cup match against San Jose that propelled them into the tournament's final four.
"We're coming from a really difficult game," he said, "Look at San Jose, look what they did today," pointing to their 4-1 loss at Minnesota. "It's tough to come back from 120 minutes, travel, everything ... I know that everything that the players do is in order to win, but we need to win as a team. We were disconnected at the end of the game, and it was at the end of the game that I didn't think we would deserve to win the game. We were pushing, we were having effort, but not clear ideas. I think, until then, we had clear ideas on how to score goals."
Those included two golden Myrto Uzuni chances — receiving a square ball in front of goal from Osman Bukari in the 16th minute, which he shot where Revs goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic could kick it away, and an 81st-minute attempt that struck the crossbar.
"He worked really hard, and he should be the man of the match today, making us win," Estévez said in assessing Uzuni's performance. "I feel if he continues to have those chances, he will help the team scoring goals." While he did admit that Uzuni could improve his accuracy, something he said he and the coaching staff would work with him on, he also noted, "He created enough chances today to make the difference in the game. I'm really happy at the end of the day; some games, we've seen that he didn't create those chances."
While Robert Taylor got in as part of a triple sub near the hour mark — rotation made essential by the mileage that Tuesday's match put on him — his inclusion into matches from the get-go is one of the few substantial lineup changes available for Estévez to shuffle a team that's now managed just 15 goals in 21 matches. Only Estévez intimated that Taylor — who got 22 starts for a 2024 Miami team full of global superstars – isn't ready yet.
"To start, you have to deserve to start," Estévez said, instead giving Diego Rubio the starting nod in a lineup reshuffled by Brandon Vázquez's season-ending injury. "He has to keep working hard in order that he's available as a starting player ... he's making progress. We ask a lot of our wingers, but he still needs a little bit more time.
"I'm not saying that he's not going to start on Wednesday. He could start on Wednesday," he added. "He's making progress, but we have to analyze a lot of things for the game, how everyone recovers, how everyone is ready to go. I think the good thing today is we used a lot of players," again noting the wear that Tuesday's match put on the squad, "and that rotation will help us to be a stronger team for Wednesday."
Player perspectives
On a night where you could hardly blame players for not wanting to talk, both Brad Stuver and Ilie Sánchez provided some insights on the match and where it fits into the long season.
"Moving on in Open Cup was a goal of ours," Stuver said in assessing the week. "We made into the semifinals; that's something that we haven't done before in the club, and obviously it gives us two games before we can lift the trophy, and we're very focused on that when the time comes. Tonight, again, being able to draw at home feels a little bit like a loss, just because you want to take away three points when you can. And we have 13 games left, and we know we need to make up ground, so we need to rest up and be ready to go."
"We know that we have a good group of guys, but we are still not getting it where we want to be, and that's more with the approach of putting our individual qualities towards the collective more than just going out there and trying to shine," Sánchez said.
"We have to take the positives, but we have to be also self-critical with ourselves, and know that tonight it was about repeating and repeating what we knew worked and what we saw work a few times throughout the game," he added. "So sometimes it's not about performing physically, but also, how much can you be consistent mentally, doing what you know it's going to work against the opponent with the ball, but also without the ball .. especially when you come from a midweek game with the extra time, that emotional game with all of what happened to Brandon, we need to be tougher, mentally, repeating what works against the following opponent."
What's next
Of course, that following opponent is the LA Galaxy, who beat D.C. United 2-1 in Saturday's late match on the strength of a Marco Reus goal and a Diego Fagúndez goal — improving their season record to 3-13-6, because it's been that kind of season for them. After the All-Star break, Austin will play D.C. at Audi Field — coming off that loss in Carson in new head coach René Weiler's debut.
Then, Verde won't play again until their next home match, coming Aug. 9 against the Dynamo to kick off a key Copa Tejas stretch including an Aug. 16 match hosting FC Dallas.
With just a St. Louis-Portland match set for Sunday that won't change Verde's place in the standings, they currently stand ninth in the conference, meaning that if the season ended today, they'd have to travel to San Jose for the play-in match. That, of course, is where they'll be for Decision Day, so figure on this newly-keen rivalry having an outsized effect on Verde's playoff fortunes.
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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