For the second consecutive road match, Austin FC suffered a multi-goal defeat, this time in a 2-0 loss to Copa Tejas rivals Houston Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium.
The Verde and Black were without top center back Brendan Hines-Ike due to suspension and striker Brandon Vazquez due to illness. As a result, the short-handed Austin squad played down to, and worse than, their competition in the form of a Dynamo team that entered the week with just one win on the season.
Here are our takeaways from the match:
No Goals, No Glory
Austin FC has collected points at an impressive rate this season despite averaging less than a goal per game, but those offensive struggles are beginning to catch up. The club had very little to offer going forward against Houston and was held scoreless for the fourth match this season.
Officially, ATX attempted nine shots and put two on target, though only one of those shots had greater than a 10% chance of resulting in a goal, per MLS. That shot fell to club record signing Myrto Uzuni – playing as the lone striker in Vazquez’s absence – who should have had the wherewithal to beat Houston keeper Jonathan Bond from inside 10 yards in the 41st minute.
From then on, Austin FC barely challenged Bond’s net. Head coach Nico Estévez, though, saw things a bit differently.
“I think today we had really good service in some of these situations, and for us, it’s just we have to score,” Estévez said.
No Margin For Error
Naturally, when your team isn’t scoring, it magnifies any mistakes on the other end of the pitch. So it was for Owen Wolff in the 61st minute. The Verde midfielder placed a bold and important tackle on Houston’s Griffin Dorsey in the ATX penalty box, winning possession. But Wolff then had his clearance intercepted by Dynamo DP Ondřej Lingr, who immediately volleyed the ball past Brad Stuver for the opening (and winning) goal.
It proved to be a costly moment for the club, but captain Ilie Sánchez made it clear that Wolff’s teammates more than have his back, especially thanks to his stellar play so far this season.
“He’s the one that’s putting the team on his shoulders,” Sánchez said. “So nothing to say to him other than, please, keep doing what you’re doing offensively and defensively for the team.”
The larger issue, in Estévez’s eyes, was the entire squad’s insufficient response to the setback.
“This sport, it doesn’t give you always the chance that you score first, you know? And then we have to be ready. Then when we don’t score first, and the opponent does it, [we have to have] the quality and the ideas to get back,” Estévez said.
Austin FC has not had a come-from-behind victory (or even a draw) yet this season.
Preparing for Pereira Absence
One of Austin’s more eye-popping attempts at goal came thanks to Dani Pereira, whose shot from long distance at the 30-minute mark came just a couple of feet from going down as the best goal in club history.
Unfortunately for Pereira, the shot came at a heavy cost. The Venezuelan midfielder pulled up lame after the strike, and required a substitute just minutes later.
Estévez said the preliminary prognosis is that Pereira will miss multiple weeks of action. “We have to do an MRI and everything, but it sounds like it could be, like, at least a month,” Estévez said.
Besard Sabovic and Nico Dubersarsky are likely next in line for action in Pereira’s place.
Austin FC take on Minnesota FC next on Saturday, May 3 at Q2 Stadium at 7:30pm.
For more Austin FC news and analysis, visit The Austin Chronicle‘s Austin FC hub. Follow The Verde Report columnist Eric Goodman on X: @goodman.
This article appears in April 25 • 2025.
