Austin FC looks to lean on their recent success at home to rebound from a definitive midweek loss when they host cellar-dwelling Sporting Kansas City on Saturday in a Western Conference match between teams well below the playoff line.
The teams each have two matches remaining before MLS’s two-month break for the World Cup and hope to finish the first half of the season with some momentum
The Verde (3-5-5, 14 points) return home after a 5-0 walloping at San Diego on Wednesday, as the team’s most lopsided in club history snapped Austin’s three-match unbeaten streak (2-0-1). The Verde have produced shutout wins in the two most recent home games, over Houston and St. Louis, respectively, and look to channel that solid play and a 2-2 road draw against Minnesota on Sunday to respond from its subpar showing on the West Coast.
“We know exactly what we didn’t do well (with Wednesday’s match) and what didn’t work, and we move forward, for what is coming,” Austin coach Nico Estevez said Friday. “Sadly, what you did in the past you cannot change it. Right now, Kansas City is the most important thing that we have in front of us.
“Is it easier said than done to move on? It is good that you have this game so quickly that you can’t really even think about Wednesday.”
Myrto Uzuni leads Austin with five goals this season, with Christian Ramirez second with four tallies. Facundo Torres has distributed a team-best six assists, and Uzuni has recorded four.
Sporting (2-8-2, 8 points) head into the weekend with the fewest points in the West, the fewest goals (11) in MLS and the largest points differential in the league (minus-22). Kansas City travels to Austin after beating the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1 at home on Wednesday behind a goal and two assists from Calvin Harris.
The win was a solid bounce back after a 6-0 loss at Portland on May 9 and snapped a seven-match winless stretch (0-6-1) dating back to a 2-1 victory on the road over the Galaxy on March 14.
“It’s been too long to sit here without a win,” Sporting coach Raphael Wicky said Wednesday. “I’m very proud of the team and the way we reacted after the loss in Portland. I would be lying to you to say that I was expecting that exactly, but you never really know what you are going to get. I just wanted them to go out there with energy.
“The team stayed focused, concentrated. And that is very important for these guys.”
Kansas City is led by striker Dejan Joveljic’s six goals. He is the only Sporting player with more than one tally this year.
Austin has never lost to Sporting Kansas City at home, winning all five matches.
–Field Level Media
