Austin FC Loses Sebastián Driussi, Owen Wolff for Crucial Stretch of Games

Austin FC midfielder Owen Wolff will compete for the United States at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in this month in Argentina (Courtesy of Austin FC)

It’s just been that kind of year for Austin FC so far in 2023. Just when it seemed like the Verde and Black were beginning to gain some momentum with four goals and two draws in its last two games, the club has sustained another demoralizing injury blow, this time to its best player at a very inopportune time.

Sebastián Driussi suffered a groin strain during a training session that will sideline him for multiple weeks, according to head coach Josh Wolff. “We’ve got to keep monitoring him,” Wolff said. “I’d say the end of the month is hopeful, so that’s unfortunate but it’s the reality.”

If Driussi is indeed out through the end of May, he would miss a critical chunk of games over a jam-packed, 18-day stretch beginning Saturday that includes rivalry clashes against the likes of FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, and the Seattle Sounders. Driussi also will have missed Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup match against New Mexico United. A win in that match would add an additional Open Cup game to the schedule that already features five MLS fixtures before the calendar turns to June.

Goalkeeper Brad Stuver, for one, has vocalized to the coaching staff his desire to play in every one of those games if healthy. However, he knows the same is not realistic for his outfield teammates, especially given the club’s long list of injuries. “There are players out there that are racking up huge amounts of miles on the field,” Stuver said. “We have to be mindful with the amount of games that we play, just how much we can push them physically [and] how much we can push them mentally.”

Even good news for the club seems to be coming at just the wrong time. Josh Wolff revealed on Tuesday that his son, Austin FC’s talented 18-year-old midfielder Owen Wolff, had been selected to represent the United States at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and had already traveled to Argentina to join up with the squad. The younger Wolff, coming off a Team of the Matchday performance with an important assist against the Portland Timbers over the weekend, would have filled a key role in the attacking midfield in Driussi’s absence. Instead, he could be away from Austin until as late as mid-June.

“We’re extremely excited for [Owen]. He represents Austin FC. He’s done an incredible job preparing himself to get to that point and now he has an opportunity to go compete,” said Josh Wolff, also pointing out that the increased visibility of international competition could help Austin FC in the long run. “You put [players] in that shop window, they are and they can become valuable assets to the club. I think many teams in this league have sold young players abroad for many millions of dollars, and if we can do that with the likes of Owen or Dani Pereira or any young player, that’s a good thing for the club.”

In the short term, though, the absences of Driussi and Owen Wolff leave ATX extremely thin in midfield for the time being. Jhojan Valencia, Sofiane Djeffal, and Alex Ring (returning to his usual spot in midfield after spending multiple weeks as a fill-in center back) were all mentioned by name by Wolff as players who will see increased action alongside Pereira in the coming weeks.

“We have to utilize the traits of the players that we have, which are still quite strong,” Wolff said. “And we have got to find ways to win games."

For more Austin FC news and analysis, visit The Austin Chronicle's Austin FC hub. Follow “The Verde Report” columnist Eric Goodman on Twitter: @goodman.