The Chamber of Commerce would like a word. Austin FC is quickly ruining the city’s welcoming reputation for visitors.
The Verde and Black flattened the Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-0, Saturday evening at Q2 Stadium for the club’s fourth win in five matches at home. The goal difference in those four home wins? A merciless 14 to 1. Where’s your Southern hospitality, Austin FC?
“That leaves as soon as the whistle blows,” goalkeeper Brad Stuver said after the victory. “We’ll hang out with [the other team], like, after the game and show them how cool Austin is, but for those 90 minutes inside the lines, there’s no friends.”
This time around, it was Argentine striker Maxi Urruti’s turn to extend a nasty greeting to the guests from Canada. A pair of stunning goals – that seems to be the only kind he scores – from Urruti in the 11th and 26th minutes relieved the sellout Austin crowd of any anxieties. That meant the final 45 minutes were pure fiesta, punctuated by Sebastián Driussi’s league-leading sixth goal of the season in the 68th minute.
The Oaks were efficient in their work, scoring on nearly a third of their 10 shots while dominating possession to the tune of 68%. “I think once we grabbed the goals tonight, it was tough for them to get the ball back. And now you want to make them suffer,” head coach Josh Wolff said.
The win lifted Austin FC back to the top spot in the Western Conference and solidified the club’s first-ever three-game winning streak – in MLS competition, at least. That’s because last Wednesday, the Oaks suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat in extra time to USL Championship side San Antonio FC in the U.S. Open Cup, resulting in elimination from that competition. Keen not to let that defeat bleed into the club’s form in league play, Wolff knew exactly the remedy his players needed.
“I told them, ‘A little cup of Q2 and you guys will be just fine.’”
Drink up, Austin FC. McKalla Place is becoming quite the intimidating destination for out-of-towners. Next up, though, El Tree loads up for a road trip east to face the Houston Dynamo in the club’s first intrastate MLS clash of the 2022 season on Saturday. As good as Austin FC has been at home lately, it’s been a much tougher time on the road.
Does that little cup of Q2 come with a travel lid?
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.
This article appears in April 22 • 2022.
