In 2024, a 5-1 Austin FC loss to Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah, which established its tone via an opening Cristian Arango goal — the first of three — lofted from near midfield, newly set off alarm bells about the Josh Wolff era.
In 2025, Verde went to Sandy just four days before hosting a U.S. Open Cup final, and so the 3-1 loss barely registered for hopeful fans. In fact, the club's official match report was a scant two paragraphs before saying that "ATXFC now returns home to focus on" one of the biggest matches in its history.
So, in the grand scheme of things, losing 2-1 on Saturday night, at the field of Verde nightmares that America First Field has become, represents relative improvement.
Except that, despite conceding an equalizer through Oleksandr Svatok's own goal, shortly after nabbing the lead, Nico Estévez's team looked primed to grab a draw and a crucial point that would have retained them at 10th place in the West.
After praising RSL for winning three straight games this season and asserting that Sandy is a difficult place to play, he still said Verde deserved more based on their play.
"Today, we didn't deserve to leave Salt Lake City without a point."
Did they, though?
Let's begin with the MLS Analytics graphics from this match.
