{"id":32727,"date":"2021-04-18T11:04:04","date_gmt":"2021-04-18T15:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/?p=32727"},"modified":"2021-04-19T11:57:24","modified_gmt":"2021-04-19T15:57:24","slug":"austin-fc-deserved-first-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2021\/04\/18\/austin-fc-deserved-first-match\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin FC Deserved More Than a 2-0 Loss in Historic First Match Ever"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES, CA<\/strong> \u2013 Yesterday, Austin FC made history. But the start to their journey and to their season<\/a> couldn\u2019t have been any more daunting than on the road at LAFC, one of this year\u2019s favorites for MLS Cup. In the end, Austin FC deserved more than they got from the match.<\/p>\n

Austin FC Deserved More in Historic First Match Ever<\/h2>\n

Josh Wolff\u2019s first MLS Starting XI as a head coach offered little in the way surprises. There was a question about who might be between the posts, Andrew Tarbell or Brad Stuver? Both keepers had acquitted themselves well during preseason so the decision could have gone either way.<\/p>\n

Today, Stuver won out. Jhohan Romana was selected to partner Matt Besler in central defense. Nick Lima and Ben Sweat rounded out the backline. Tomas Pochettino and Daniel Pereira started in midfield alongside skipper Alex Ring. Cecilio Dominguez, Danny Hoesen, and the injury-concern Rodney Redes formed Austin\u2019s attacking triumvirate.<\/p>\n

Austin started nervously; LAFC started fast. Very fast. Stuver was called into action within the first 30 seconds. LAFC crafted a couple more chances within the opening few minutes. Nerves were clearly getting the best of the Austin players, understandably on such a momentous occasion. Austin defended bravely, though, quickly weathering the storm and settling into the game.<\/p>\n

Alex Ring showed why Wolff had handed him the captain\u2019s armband as he bustled from box to box and side to side attempting to connect the dots and get a rhythm going. Ring\u2019s raking cross-field passes helped Austin stretch and get in behind LAFC\u2019s defense in advanced wide positions. That helped turn the tide, and once it was turned it was Verde for much of the rest of the first half.<\/p>\n

The best of Austin\u2019s chances were in the form of headers, one apiece falling to their DP\u2019s, Dominguez and Pochettino. Austin undoubtedly went in at half-time more satisfied with their efforts and with the 0-0 score-line, believing that they were the team most likely to improve upon it second-half.<\/p>\n

LAFC had other ideas. Despite starting the match without their hotshot Diego Rossi and losing talismanic Carlos Vela mid-way through the first half, LAFC jumped all over Austin at the restart. A spate of corners coupled with ATX\u2019s inability to retain possession or convincingly clear their lines, reset the tone. Still, it was cruel fate when Corey Baird\u2019s wayward shot found its way past Stuver courtesy of a heavy deflection.<\/p>\n

The goal appeared to rally Austin who once again begun crafting chances of their own. Sub Jon Gallagher\u2019s industrious efforts were rewarded with three decent sights on goal. LAFC goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega persistently and rather brilliantly denied the Irishman. And when Jose Cifuentes converted a tap-in late in the game, a product of tired legs and miscommunication in the Austin defense, it represented gilding to a lily hardly worthy of it.<\/p>\n

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\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udded Opoku \ud83e\udd1d Cifuentes \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\udde8#LAFCvATX<\/a> 2-0 pic.twitter.com\/6P0BaApZO7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LAFC (@LAFC) April 17, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n