After Saturday night’s match against St. Louis City SC, the mood among Austin FC players was definitely not buoyant. Their performance was certainly an improvement from the prior two 2024 outings, as they grabbed a lead twice and carried it into stoppage time. They definitely performed better against a nemesis they lost twice to in the visitors’ debut season, getting a 2-2 result to add to the 2024 points tally.
But the narrative was unmistakable. The team was just minutes from their first win, yet gave up an equalizer, and two possibly crucial points in the Western Conference standings, just minutes before one of them would get a Yeti cup and the chance to bang a drum in front of supporters.
“Still chasing that feeling,” Jon Gallagher assessed glumly after the match. “We were in touching distance … yeah, extremely disappointed and frustrated. We wanted to have that first win for the fans, and still craving that feeling.”
He added, with determination, “I hope it's a kick in the ass for us and sends in the right direction.”
Dani Pereira, answering my question about what head coach Josh Wolff told them after the match, reported, “We have to learn how to close out games … we have 10 guys in the box, nine guys in the box and a last-minute goal, which is insane. We shouldn't be conceding if we have nine guys in the box.”
