'We were a little overeager': Assessing Austin FC's final match of 2025
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.
There's a maxim in sports, especially in the playoffs, in which people talk about which team "wanted it more." While eagerness can be a virtue in competitions, it can sometimes be to a team's detriment, as Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver observed following his team's 4-1 defeat to LAFC Sunday night, which officially knocked them out of the 2025 MLS playoffs.
"In the first half, we were a little overeager," Stuver said. "This is one of the best transition teams in the league, and I think we were just a bit too expansive. I think when we went out, we put ourselves in a position where one mistake from us led to them getting a counterattack, and it happened multiple times, and obviously, we allowed two of the most dangerous attacking players in our league get in on goal, and they were able to capitalize.
"But I think the guys did a really good job of staying resilient," he added. "Obviously, we had the two PKs in the first half, and then in the second half, they really only had one chance throughout the entire time. But when you give up three goals in the first half, it's a big hole to dig yourself out of."
Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez, who was even more verbose than usual in his remarks, bemoaned the lack of transition defense that eventually did his team in.
"On the defensive side today, it's difficult," he said. "While you are attacking, you have to be prepared to avoid those moments, but I think when we are compact, and they're pressing, I think we are successful. The issue today was more how we controlled those transition moments, and it's like sometimes, you don't have these experiences, you don't realize how good you have to be and how disciplined you have to be, because this team can kill you, as we had today."
Noting the team was disappointed with the loss, Estévez took ownership for losing a series in which he would down two key offensive pieces — Osman Bukari and Diego Rubio — and up against two formidable ones in Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga, who were largely neutralized in their first meeting but ever-present in their second.
"I take the full responsibility of this, this series, and for the players," Estévez said. "I feel proud about the effort that they put for us since day one, the work that they did. We had a really, really crowded season on the schedule, and we were there, we were battling for two competitions, but we fell short here."
Looking to the future
If this offseason is like previous MLS offseasons, there will be changes to the roster as options are declined, additional players are moved, and new ones are brought in. As Stuver answered reporter questions in a mostly-emptied-out locker room late Sunday, one of the possible departees, defender Julio Cascante, sat immobile and stared into the middle distance.
Another player with an option-year decision for sporting director Rodolfo Borrell to make, captain Ilie Sánchez, made a statement in both Spanish and English to assess the whole of the season in lieu of fielding individual questions from media. He thanked the fans for their support and the media for fulfilling their role, encouraging positivity to help support "the guys who will be here" — but also understanding what the season meant and how far the team still has to go.
"We take all the responsibility on tonight and the season," he said. "It has been a good season, but it wasn't enough for what we expected and what the standards should be here at Austin FC."
The match also introduced new questions about striker Myrto Uzuni, who, a month and a day after flubbing a penalty kick in the U.S. Open Cup final, did it again with an opportunity to get Verde within a goal after going down 2-0.
"I felt like he was more afraid to miss than to think it positive to score, and this is why he shot the way that he shot," Estévez said of the PK that went straight at a diving Hugo Lloris. "It's not normal for him to take a shot like like that."
Assuming Brandon Vázquez makes a full recovery from his ACL injury suffered this summer, questions about how to get the two strikers to play together — and who will be tasked with playmaking to get them better involved – will rise to the top of 2026 concerns for a team that made the playoffs but exited in line with their tournament seeding.
"This is MLS, and there's a lot of turnover in the offseason," Stuver said, noting that now that they've made the playoffs again, doing so next year is a "bare minimum" expectation.
"Those of us that will be back are going to be focused on getting the new guys up to speed, and hopefully we can take what momentum we had for this year and take it into early next season," he noted.
Asked about how long this loss will stick with him, he added, "It's the end of the year, and it knocks you out, so ... all offseason."
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez says his team is ready to play aggressively as they aim to extend their season at least one more match. But he also makes a case they were aggressive in a loss in which they only had two shots on target.
Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez indicated this is a team that can learn from losing. They'll have a few days to do that prior to what could be their final match of the season.
There's a maxim in sports, especially in the playoffs, in which people talk about which team "wanted it more." While eagerness can be a virtue in competitions, it can sometimes be to a team's detriment, as Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver observed following his team's 4-1 defeat to LAFC Sunday night, which officially knocked them out of the 2025 MLS playoffs.
"In the first half, we were a little overeager," Stuver said. "This is one of the best transition teams in the league, and I think we were just a bit too expansive. I think when we went out, we put ourselves in a position where one mistake from us led to them getting a counterattack, and it happened multiple times, and obviously, we allowed two of the most dangerous attacking players in our league get in on goal, and they were able to capitalize.
"But I think the guys did a really good job of staying resilient," he added. "Obviously, we had the two PKs in the first half, and then in the second half, they really only had one chance throughout the entire time. But when you give up three goals in the first half, it's a big hole to dig yourself out of."
Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez, who was even more verbose than usual in his remarks, bemoaned the lack of transition defense that eventually did his team in.
"On the defensive side today, it's difficult," he said. "While you are attacking, you have to be prepared to avoid those moments, but I think when we are compact, and they're pressing, I think we are successful. The issue today was more how we controlled those transition moments, and it's like sometimes, you don't have these experiences, you don't realize how good you have to be and how disciplined you have to be, because this team can kill you, as we had today."
Noting the team was disappointed with the loss, Estévez took ownership for losing a series in which he would down two key offensive pieces — Osman Bukari and Diego Rubio — and up against two formidable ones in Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga, who were largely neutralized in their first meeting but ever-present in their second.
"I take the full responsibility of this, this series, and for the players," Estévez said. "I feel proud about the effort that they put for us since day one, the work that they did. We had a really, really crowded season on the schedule, and we were there, we were battling for two competitions, but we fell short here."
Looking to the future
If this offseason is like previous MLS offseasons, there will be changes to the roster as options are declined, additional players are moved, and new ones are brought in. As Stuver answered reporter questions in a mostly-emptied-out locker room late Sunday, one of the possible departees, defender Julio Cascante, sat immobile and stared into the middle distance.
Another player with an option-year decision for sporting director Rodolfo Borrell to make, captain Ilie Sánchez, made a statement in both Spanish and English to assess the whole of the season in lieu of fielding individual questions from media. He thanked the fans for their support and the media for fulfilling their role, encouraging positivity to help support "the guys who will be here" — but also understanding what the season meant and how far the team still has to go.
"We take all the responsibility on tonight and the season," he said. "It has been a good season, but it wasn't enough for what we expected and what the standards should be here at Austin FC."
The match also introduced new questions about striker Myrto Uzuni, who, a month and a day after flubbing a penalty kick in the U.S. Open Cup final, did it again with an opportunity to get Verde within a goal after going down 2-0.
"I felt like he was more afraid to miss than to think it positive to score, and this is why he shot the way that he shot," Estévez said of the PK that went straight at a diving Hugo Lloris. "It's not normal for him to take a shot like like that."
Assuming Brandon Vázquez makes a full recovery from his ACL injury suffered this summer, questions about how to get the two strikers to play together — and who will be tasked with playmaking to get them better involved – will rise to the top of 2026 concerns for a team that made the playoffs but exited in line with their tournament seeding.
"This is MLS, and there's a lot of turnover in the offseason," Stuver said, noting that now that they've made the playoffs again, doing so next year is a "bare minimum" expectation.
"Those of us that will be back are going to be focused on getting the new guys up to speed, and hopefully we can take what momentum we had for this year and take it into early next season," he noted.
Asked about how long this loss will stick with him, he added, "It's the end of the year, and it knocks you out, so ... all offseason."
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
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