Austin FC vs Houston Dynamo: 5 takeaways from the Verde & Black's 2-0 loss

Yahoo

28-04-2025

With or without Brandon Vazquez, scoring is an issue for Austin FC.
Ten games into the season, the Verde & Black have only managed seven goals, something that was punctuated by their 2-0 loss to Houston Dynamo FC in a Copa Tejas match Saturday at Shell Energy Stadium.
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Vazquez, one of Austin FC's major additions at forward in the offseason, didn't play in the game due to illness, which took some punch away from Austin FC's attack. But outside of a chance by Myrto Uzuni late in the first half, the Verde & Black were subpar in creating goal opportunities most of the contest.
More: Austin FC coach Nico Estévez's journey is something the club hopes spurs it to success
Here are some thoughts from the match as Austin FC (5-4-1, 16 points) returns home Saturday for a 'Battle of the birds' contest against Minnesota:
Austin FC's offense is officially an issue
Austin FC has been excellent on defense the entire season, outside of the 5-1 loss at Vancouver, but it's unrealistic to expect the backline and goalie Brad Stuver to continuously produce shutouts or yield only one goal.
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Opposing offenses will heat up with the weather, mistakes will happen and at some point the Verde & Black are going to have to come up with two or three goals.
They couldn't do that Saturday when a couple of defensive lapses led to Houston's goals.
Aside from Uzuni running onto a phenomenal long ball from Oleksandr Svatok into the Houston box and a cross from Jon Gallagher that just missed Jáder Obrian across the face of the goal, there were no memorable scoring chances for Austin FC.
'We were a little bit flat,' Austin FC coach Nico Estévez said. 'And we can be more aggressive.'
To his credit, Estévez didn't make any excuses for not having Vazquez or center back Brendan Hines-Ike, who missed the game after receiving two yellow cards during last week's 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy. Austin FC also lost midfielder Dani Pereira midway through the first half to an injury.
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'We brought a good squad here,' he said. 'When guys are out, it's an opportunity for others to step up.'
But the result continued a trend: In all four of Austin FC's losses, it has trailed first.
'We have to improve our maturity … and we have to improve our poise when we fall behind,' Estévez said. 'We need to use our brain and not our heart and emotions. We want to react quickly (to tie the game), but then we start losing our shape, and that goes against us. … This sport doesn't always allow you to score first.'
Myrto Uzuni misses
Uzuni needed to do better with his chance.
His shot went straight at Houston goalie Jonathan Bond, and though it's not the easiest thing to settle a long pass and get off a strong shot, Austin FC spent a lot of money — more than $12 million according to online publication Give Me Sport — to get him in the offseason to produce in those situations.
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Uzuni has one goal in eight appearances and joins Vazquez and other forward and designated player Osman Bukari as having underwhelmed so far.
Austin FC captain and midfielder Ilie Sánchez said there's no frustration from the rest of the team about the offense.
'We need to provide our attacking players with better chances,' said Sánchez, who played significant minutes for the first time since an injury in late March. 'We can't expect the forwards to put the team on their shoulders.'
Austin FC defense shows it's human
Owen Wolff and Svatok have been excellent this year, but each made a mistake that led to a Houston goal.
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While trying to pass the ball out of the Austin FC box over Houston midfielder Ondrej Lingr, Wolff instead kicked it right to him, and Lingr promptly scored on a solid shot from 18 yards out.
Svatok then gave Ezequiel Ponce too much space on a Houston counterattack — which began after a poor turnover by Zan Kolmanic when he tried to switch the field — and Ponce took a pass from Griffin Dorsey and blasted a short-range shot past Stuver.
As Sanchez noted, Wolff has been Austin FC's 'best player this season,' and Svatok's mishap wasn't all that egregious, so there's no reason to dwell on either play. But they're more evidence that the Austin FC defense can't realistically keep up its pace from posting five shutouts through nine games.
Dani Pereira likely out for a while
Pereira appeared to injure his quad after a long-range shot midway through the first half, and it sounds like he won't be playing again anytime soon.
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'I think he'll be out a long time,' Estévez said.
That's not good news when the club will play at least eight matches, and possibly nine depending on how it does in its U.S. Open Cup match May 7, in the month of May.
Bottom line
This wasn't a great performance by Austin FC, however, the club has put itself in a position to not worry about losing a road game.
Sure, dropping the Copa Tejas opener isn't ideal, but the club still controls its own destiny in the competition.
And you have to factor in the absences of Vazquez, Hines-Ike and Pereira, which make this result a little less surprising.
Austin FC will enter matchday 11 in no worse than sixth place in the Western Conference, which with what its offense has done to date, is very notable.
Apr 26, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Austin FC defender Oleksandr Svatok (5) controls the ball as Houston Dynamo FC forward Ezequiel Ponce (10) defends during the first half at Shell Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: MLS scores: 5 takeaways as Austin FC falls 2-0 to Houston Dynamo FC