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Austin FC is on a losing streak in MLS play.
The Verde & Black dropped their third straight league game Saturday with a 2-1 defeat to Cincinnati at TQL Stadium as Evander and Gerardo Valenzuela scored for the hosts, while Brandon Vazquez converted a penalty for Austin FC.
Here are some key takeaways from the match as Austin FC (5-6-1, 16 points) has only won once in league play since the calendar turned to April as it heads into an important midweek home contest against Atlanta:
Two defensive lapses cost Austin FC.
Evander was left wide open just outside the box on his goal early in the first half, and considering the Brazilian scored 15 goals and had 19 assists a year ago and entered this contest already with seven goals — the same number Austin FC had scored as a club — it was bizarre that he had as much space as he did that close to the Verde & Black’s goal.
Ilie Sánchez stopped tracking Evander on his run and no Austin FC defender stepped up quickly enough to challenge him. The end result was a predictable one: a shot curled past goalie Brad Stuver into the far side of the goal.
More: Austin FC vs El Paso Locomotive FC: 5 takeaways as the Verde & Black rally in US Open Cup
Evander hurt Austin FC on Cincinnati’s second goal with his passing.
Again left open to easily receive a pass, he was approached by Austin FC defenders this time, but he lofted a perfect pass to a sprinting Valenzuela, who finished the goal.
Zan Kolmanic failed to track Valenzuela on the play, which proved costly.
It also appeared Guilherme Biro might have been able to jump and clear the ball on a header if it had been earlier in the game when he had fresher legs, but the Austin FC defense looked gassed after the 70th minute.
Which brings us to our next point…
Austin FC coach Nico Estévez’s timing of substitutions was questionable at best.
The Verde & Black were playing on two days rest, yet Estévez didn’t make a sub until the 72nd minute despite Austin FC being on its back foot for at least the previous 10 minutes. Then he waited until after the 80th minute to sub off Myrto Uzuni — who had another ineffective game — despite him appearing worn out.
Not having Mikkel Desler, Dani Pereira and Robert Taylor — all of whom are out with injuries — hurts Austin FC, and in Estévez’s defense, he doesn’t have many options on defense.
However, this was a game where Austin FC needed fresh legs sooner than later, and that didn’t happen.
Vazquez’s penalty, which for Austin FC was fortunate that a handball occurred barely inside the box, may mask the club’s continued issues on offense a bit.
The Verde & Black had only two shots on goal, and while there was adequate possession in the first half and plenty of crosses into the box throughout the game, one never got the sense that Austin FC was about to score.
Even the Apple TV broadcast team questioned the cohesiveness of the Verde & Black attack.
Austin FC has still scored only one goal of note in the run of play in MLS contests since a 1-0 win over St. Louis on March 30.
That’s something that needs to quickly change.
A loss on the road at Cincinnati isn’t itself concerning — that club is undefeated at home and sits atop the Eastern Conference — but Austin FC’s recent run of results is.
The Verde & Black have put themselves in a position by going 1-4-1 in their last six league matches — with that one win being over the worst team in the MLS in the Los Angeles Galaxy — where Wednesday’s match versus Atlanta looms much more important than a May contest should.
Austin FC plays the top two teams in the Western Conference, Vancouver and Minnesota, the following two matches, and while the positive is that it will be done with those clubs for the season, the harsh reality is that a loss against Atlanta means the Verde & Black could be staring at the real possibility of a six-game losing streak in league play.
Stuver made three highlight-reel saves that kept Austin FC in the match.
(Players graded 1-10 with 10 being the highest)
Forward: Brandon Vazquez 6, Myrto Uzuni 5
Midfield: Ilie Sánchez 4.5, Besard Sabovic 4.5, Owen Wolff 6
Defense: Zan Kolmanic 5, Guilherme Biro 5, Brendan Hines-Ike 6, Oleksandr Svatok 5.5, Jon Gallagher 6.5
Goalie: Brad Stuver 7
Subs: CJ Fodrey 5, Nicolas Dubersarsky 5, Osman Bukari 5, Jáder Obrian 5, Diego Rubio NA
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: MLS scores: 4 takeaways from Austin FC's 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati
Continue reading...
The Verde & Black dropped their third straight league game Saturday with a 2-1 defeat to Cincinnati at TQL Stadium as Evander and Gerardo Valenzuela scored for the hosts, while Brandon Vazquez converted a penalty for Austin FC.
Here are some key takeaways from the match as Austin FC (5-6-1, 16 points) has only won once in league play since the calendar turned to April as it heads into an important midweek home contest against Atlanta:
Austin FC loses track of Evander
Two defensive lapses cost Austin FC.
Evander was left wide open just outside the box on his goal early in the first half, and considering the Brazilian scored 15 goals and had 19 assists a year ago and entered this contest already with seven goals — the same number Austin FC had scored as a club — it was bizarre that he had as much space as he did that close to the Verde & Black’s goal.
Ilie Sánchez stopped tracking Evander on his run and no Austin FC defender stepped up quickly enough to challenge him. The end result was a predictable one: a shot curled past goalie Brad Stuver into the far side of the goal.
More: Austin FC vs El Paso Locomotive FC: 5 takeaways as the Verde & Black rally in US Open Cup
Evander hurt Austin FC on Cincinnati’s second goal with his passing.
Again left open to easily receive a pass, he was approached by Austin FC defenders this time, but he lofted a perfect pass to a sprinting Valenzuela, who finished the goal.
Zan Kolmanic failed to track Valenzuela on the play, which proved costly.
It also appeared Guilherme Biro might have been able to jump and clear the ball on a header if it had been earlier in the game when he had fresher legs, but the Austin FC defense looked gassed after the 70th minute.
Which brings us to our next point…
Substitutions came too late
Austin FC coach Nico Estévez’s timing of substitutions was questionable at best.
The Verde & Black were playing on two days rest, yet Estévez didn’t make a sub until the 72nd minute despite Austin FC being on its back foot for at least the previous 10 minutes. Then he waited until after the 80th minute to sub off Myrto Uzuni — who had another ineffective game — despite him appearing worn out.
Not having Mikkel Desler, Dani Pereira and Robert Taylor — all of whom are out with injuries — hurts Austin FC, and in Estévez’s defense, he doesn’t have many options on defense.
However, this was a game where Austin FC needed fresh legs sooner than later, and that didn’t happen.
Offensive woes continue
Vazquez’s penalty, which for Austin FC was fortunate that a handball occurred barely inside the box, may mask the club’s continued issues on offense a bit.
The Verde & Black had only two shots on goal, and while there was adequate possession in the first half and plenty of crosses into the box throughout the game, one never got the sense that Austin FC was about to score.
Even the Apple TV broadcast team questioned the cohesiveness of the Verde & Black attack.
Austin FC has still scored only one goal of note in the run of play in MLS contests since a 1-0 win over St. Louis on March 30.
That’s something that needs to quickly change.
Bottom line
A loss on the road at Cincinnati isn’t itself concerning — that club is undefeated at home and sits atop the Eastern Conference — but Austin FC’s recent run of results is.
The Verde & Black have put themselves in a position by going 1-4-1 in their last six league matches — with that one win being over the worst team in the MLS in the Los Angeles Galaxy — where Wednesday’s match versus Atlanta looms much more important than a May contest should.
Austin FC plays the top two teams in the Western Conference, Vancouver and Minnesota, the following two matches, and while the positive is that it will be done with those clubs for the season, the harsh reality is that a loss against Atlanta means the Verde & Black could be staring at the real possibility of a six-game losing streak in league play.
Austin FC man of the match: Brad Stuver
Stuver made three highlight-reel saves that kept Austin FC in the match.
Austin FC player ratings
(Players graded 1-10 with 10 being the highest)
Forward: Brandon Vazquez 6, Myrto Uzuni 5
Midfield: Ilie Sánchez 4.5, Besard Sabovic 4.5, Owen Wolff 6
Defense: Zan Kolmanic 5, Guilherme Biro 5, Brendan Hines-Ike 6, Oleksandr Svatok 5.5, Jon Gallagher 6.5
Goalie: Brad Stuver 7
Subs: CJ Fodrey 5, Nicolas Dubersarsky 5, Osman Bukari 5, Jáder Obrian 5, Diego Rubio NA
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: MLS scores: 4 takeaways from Austin FC's 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati
Continue reading...
