If you had asked any Austin FC die-hard for an optimistic word on May 31, you might have earned a swift kick to the groin.
From a results standpoint, it was, without question, the nadir of the club’s 2025 season. The Verde and Black had just logged a five-week, eight-match winless streak in MLS play, scoring just four total goals in that span. The club had seemingly wasted a fast start to the season and had tumbled outside the league’s überinclusive playoff picture with a mere 20 points from 17 matches. It was the halfway point of the season, and Verde stock was plummeting.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for the club ever since. In the 14 MLS contests from June through the end of September, Austin FC posted a 7W-3D-4L record worth 24 points, up there with the best teams in the league over that span. And after scoring just 11 goals over the first half of the season, El Tree has already found the back of the net 23 times since June 1.
It’s even more impressive when you consider that the club lost its star striker, Brandon Vazquez, to a season-ending knee injury in early July.
“Offensively, we had a rough start, but as the season went on, we improved that side,” head coach Nico Estévez acknowledged. “I think the players put a lot of focus and we made some tweaks, and everyone understood how we could do better on that side.”
It took time, but Estévez managed to develop an attacking blueprint that drew on the strengths of his most talented offensive pieces, namely Owen Wolff, Myrto Uzuni, and Osman Bukari. All three players have shown immense improvement in their production in the second half of the season after struggling early.
“I think for me, that’s [been] the best thing from this year. The mentality on responding in the difficult moments, and how we came back together,” Estévez said.
He now has Austin FC on the brink of securing a playoff berth for just the second time in the club’s history. Couple that with El Tree’s achievements in the U.S. Open Cup, and it’s been an unequivocally successful debut season for the Spanish manager in Austin. (Note: This column went to press in the hours before the U.S. Open Cup final on Oct. 1; visit austinchronicle.com/austin-fc for more coverage.)
When a new coach takes over a team as Estévez did, especially one with as many new players in important positions as Austin had, the No. 1 thing you’re looking for from that team is improvement over the course of the season. That’s exactly what Austin FC fans have seen from their club this year.
The Verde and Black close out their regular season with back-to-back matches at home against St. Louis City SC and LAFC, followed by a trip to the Bay Area to link up with the San Jose Earthquakes on Decision Day. Pretty much every likely scenario has Austin FC landing somewhere in the 5-7 range in the Western Conference table, which would see the club avoid a play-in game but be at a home field disadvantage in the first round.
Nothing is guaranteed yet, though, and MLS has a funny way of making likely scenarios crumble into dust this time of year. Estévez and his experienced team know they can’t relax just yet.
This article appears in October 3 • 2025.