Austin FC showed some flashes of the team they might be in 2026. But according to their head coach and veteran goalkeeper, there's more work to do before Saturday's opening match.
It's not that Austin FC didn't show a desire to win on Sunday. It's just that they left themselves vulnerable to counterattacks against a team that excels at them.
Austin FC beat an LAFC side missing its two best players. Ironically, that win makes a first-round playoff rematch between the rivals more likely.
Saturday's loss to St. Louis City SC completed the team's first three-match losing streak since May. Verde can still make the playoffs today, but may not avoid the play-in game.
You've heard this before, but Austin FC can qualify for the playoffs this weekend — even if they lose. And there's a record we fully expect Brad Stuver to break on Saturday night regardless of results.
While Dani Pereira and Jon Gallagher expressed disgruntlement over the call the game turned on, team leaders wanted to focus on using this pain as further motivation for the challenges to come.
Though Austin FC is focused on Saturday — and Wednesday — they also got to look to the future with a key contract extension announcement.
With three dramatic 2-1 wins in their most recent four matches, the September version of Austin FC is more fun than the version that dropped points earlier in the season.
With a win on Saturday, Austin FC can do something it hasn't done since 2022. (The match also will decide second place in the Copa Tejas race.)
Thanks to goals from Osman Bukari and Myrto Uzuni — plus an own-goal — Verde did something they haven't done for much of this season.
One point is better than none, but Austin FC's seventh home draw of the 2025 season means that in league matches in Q2 Stadium, they've now drawn more than won and lost combined.
In three straight matches, Austin FC's had a penalty called against them and a goal scored against them as a result. This time, it was consequential.
