Osman Bukari scored off a corner kick in the 77th minute and Austin FC opened its fifth MLS season with a 1-0 victory over visiting Sporting Kansas City on Saturday in the first game of the season for both clubs.
After finishing with a Western Conference-worst 39 goals last season, Austin FC finally found the back of the net late when Bukari deflected Owen Wolff’s corner kick off his upper chest and chin while flat-footed and past Sporting Kansas goalkeeper John Pulskamp.
Bukari, a native of Ghana, already has matched his goal total from 2024 when he scored once in nine games (eight starts) for the Verde.
Goalkeeper Brad Stuver made two saves for Austin FC, while Puslkamp made one for SKC. Pulskamp’s opportunity in goal comes after longtime SKC mainstay Tim Melia departed at the end of last season in a roster overhaul.
SKC are now 0-5-0 in five all-time games at Austin since 2021.
Austin FC nearly doubled the lead in the 82nd minute but new addition Brandon Vazquez saw his blistering shot from the edge of the penalty area with his left foot rebound off the crossbar.
Vazquez, who played for Mexico’s CF Monterrey last season and has four goals in 11 appearances for the United States men’s national team, joined Austin FC on an estimated $10 million transfer fee.
Forward Dejan Joveljic made his Sporting Kansas City debut after a trade from the champion Los Angeles Galaxy. Joveljic scored the deciding goal for the Galaxy in the MLS Cup Final last season.
The SKC loss came after they finished 13th in the 14-team Western Conference last season with a record of 8-19-7 (31 points). Austin FC finished one spot below the playoff line in 2024 at 11-14-9 (42 points).
Austin FC led in possession 56.5 percent to 43.5 percent in the opener and had a 12-7 advantage on shots.
—Field Level Media
