Latest news with #NicoEstévez
Axios
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Axios
Austin FC's not-so-great half season
It's about midway through the Major League Soccer season, and Austin FC has very little to show for it. Why it matters: The ownership brought in new players over the winter as part of a high-dollar makeover, but the squad has scored just 13 goals through 18 games, second-lowest in the league. Yes, but: In MLS' generous postseason qualification scheme, if the season ended today, Austin's 6-5-7 record would currently be just good enough to get into the playoffs. The latest: The Verde and Black is coming off a 2-0 victory in last Saturday in Colorado — its first regular season MLS victory since mid-April. "I'm really, really glad and happy we won today because this win took a long time to come when it should have come in the month of May," Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez said last weekend. Neither goal came from Brandon Vázquez, their off-season striker acquisition, who's notched only four goals so far. The intrigue: Q2 Stadium hosts the 2025 MLS All-Star Game on July 23, and no Austin player is expected to be voted onto the team. Estévez is coach and can select a dozen players himself, and keeping with tradition, is likely to pick at least one of the home side's players for the squad.
New York Times
18-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
MLS runs it back vs. Liga MX for 2025 All-Star Game in Austin
For the fourth time in five years, MLS will take on Liga MX in its All-Star Game, the league announced on Tuesday. The match will take place at Austin FC's Q2 Stadium on July 23. MLS's all-stars are selected by fans, Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez (the host city's coach has the honor of overseeing the team) and MLS commissioner Don Garber. The make-up of the Liga MX side is still up in the air, with MLS saying it will announce details of the selection process further down the road. Previous Mexican sides have included names like Santiago Giménez, André-Pierre Gignac and Sergio Canales. Advertisement MLS is likely looking to build momentum for Leagues Cup, which kicks off a week after the All-Star Game and pits MLS and Liga MX teams against each other in a midseason tournament. The two leagues made significant adjustments to the format of the competition earlier this year in response to criticism from fans and participants alike. The league has tinkered with the format of its All-Star Game multiple times over its 30-year history as well. Early editions were typically East vs. West, though there were a few exceptions: the league pitted its American players against its international ones in 1998, and in 2002, MLS's All-Stars faced off against players from the U.S. men's national team. Liga MX side Chivas de Guadalajara became the first Mexican participant in 2003. From 2004-2019 the league faced off against a variety of top European clubs before switching to its current format. In all but one of the last five years, the league's All-Stars have faced a collection of Liga MX counterparts, the exception being a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the Premier League's Arsenal in 2023. The MLS All-Stars have emerged victorious on two of the three occasions they've faced Liga MX, winning the inaugural edition in a penalty shootout and winning again in 2022, riding a goal from former Liga MX standout Carlos Vela. Liga MX earned a first victory in 2024 with a 4-1 thrashing of MLS in Columbus. The MLS All-Stars will also face off against Liga MX in the league's annual skills challenge, having lost two of their three matchups in previous iterations of that competition.
Axios
20-02-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Austin FC returns to the pitch for its 2025 season
Austin FC this weekend is launching its fifth campaign with a new coach, new players and new jerseys. Why it matters: After a second consecutive losing season in 2024, franchise owners spent big to bring in fresh talent. The ownership group ponied up more than $25 million in transfer fees during the offseason, looking to add firepower to the attack and shore up the midfield. The big picture: It's up to coach Nico Estévez, who helmed FC Dallas for parts of three seasons with mixed results, to get the most out of an array of talented players. Catch up quick: The Verde and Black signed two proven goal scorers, Brandon Vázquez from Mexican team CF Monterrey and Myrto Uzuni from Granada CF, in the second tier Spanish league. 20-year-old midfielder Nicolás Dubersarsky, who was playing in the top league in Argentina, signed a five-year contract, and veteran midfielder Ilie Sánchez is on board for one year. The intrigue: Even as coach Josh Wolff was fired, the team signed his son, midfielder Owen Wolff, to a contract extension. State of play: Other returning players to watch: Wingers Osman Bukari and Jáder Obrian, midfielder Dani Pereira, defenders Leo Väisänen, Jon Gallagher and Mikkel Desler, and fan favorite goalkeeper Brad Stuver. Among the players not returning: all-time team scoring leader Sebastián Druissi, former team captain Alex Ring and Gyasi Zardes, the 10th leading scorer in MLS history. Fun fact: Austin FC players hail from 17 countries on four continents. The latest: Austin FC scored four goals in four preseason games against MLS teams, suggesting the team has a ways to go to find scoring combinations. Reality check: Austin is tied for 19th among the 30 teams for futures odds of winning the MLS Cup. What's next: The Verde and Black open the season Saturday at home against Sporting Kansas City. Kickoff is at 7:30. Tickets start at $34.
