In the final home game of Austin FC’s first Major League Soccer season, Austin FC left on a high note by beating Sporting Kansas City 3-1 on Nov. 3, according to austinfc.com.
While Austin’s win put the team at 9-20-4, the team played the role of heartbreaker as Kansas City is battling for a top Western Conference seed. Going into the final game of the season on Nov. 7, Seattle holds a one point lead in the race.
“We understood the assignment,” Austin FC tweeted after the game.
KVUE reported that only 30 seconds into the game Sebastian Driussi took a wide open header and knocked it into the goal, with an assist by Jared Stroud. According to austinfc.com, this was the fastest goal in the club’s history. Stroud then nearly put Austin up 2-0, but the shot smashed off the post for a near miss.
Also scoring for Austin FC was Julio Cascante, who knocked in a header to put Austin up 2-0. It was the 22nd minute and the goal came off a free kick by Zan Kolmanic.
Stroud scored his first MLS goal in the 60th minute to put the team up 3-0 on a low shot to the far post. Kansas City got on the board on a header by Johnny Russel in the 65th minute, which extended his points streak to 10 games. However, austinfc.com reported that it was the defense that impressed the rest of the way as it was able to silence Sporting KC until the end of regulation.
Coach Josh Wolff told austinfc.com that he was proud of the play of Stroud.
“There’s a selflessness about the way he works, a collectiveness by buying into everything that we’re doing,” Wolff said. “Tonight, the performance was exceptional, absolutely exceptional. He deserves all the applause.”
Austinfc.com reported that Owen Wolff, who was a substitute midfielder in the second half’s stoppage time, became the first Austin FC homegrown talent to play in an MLS game.
Austin FC won four of its final five home games. The final game of the season for Austin FC is on the road against the Portland Timbers on Nov. 7, and Austin has had Portland’s number going 2-0 in two road matchups this season.