Goalkeeper Damian Las hasn't had much experience explaining team performances to Austin media.
Yet, in assessing what happened on the two first-half goals scored on Austin FC, in a 2-1 loss to Louisville City on Tuesday to start and end their 2026 U.S. Open Cup aspirations, he exhibited a veteran's straightforwardness and sensibility.
"Not winning our individual battles was a huge thing," he said. "And you can see that only two goals we concede ... they just outplayed us in the first half, for sure. They took their chances, and they scored from them. I try to do the best I can in my job to make the make the saves I could, and unfortunately, I couldn't on the two goals.
"I think they wanted it more than than our team," he added. "It was just more the lack of winning those individual duels on those goals we concede, just unfortunate for us."
Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez, more experienced of late in explaining disappointing results — now that his team is winless in six straight matches — arrived before media after an unexplained 45-minute wait, answering one question per reporter. He began with my open-ended "What happened out there?"
