Brandon Vazquez scored in the 81st minute to produce the game’s lone goal as host Austin FC did just enough to beat the hapless LA Galaxy 1-0 on Saturday afternoon in a Western Conference clash.
Vazquez, who was at the far post to push home a deflection off a pass by Owen Wolfe, made amends for being thwarted on a penalty kick in the 70th minute.
Austin FC (5-3-1, 16 points) rebounded from a 5-1 loss at Vancouver last week, with goalkeeper Brad Stuver stopping four shots to earn his fifth clean sheet of the season.
The Verde had to play the final four minutes of stoppage time a man down after Brendan Hines-Ike was sent off with a second yellow card for poor sportsmanship.
The Galaxy (0-6-3, 3 points) remained winless on the season, becoming the first defending champion in league history to begin the following season without a victory through nine matches.
Both teams were aggressive throughout the first half but had little to show for it.
Los Angeles had the game’s first scoring chance, as Isaiah Parente’s shot in the fifth minute was blocked by Vazquez. Austin responded five minutes later when Dani Pereira ripped a shot that was cleared away by John Nelson. Pereira had another chance from outside the box in the 14th minute that Galaxy keeper John McCarthy saved.
Gabriel Pec went to work for LA , forcing a save from Stuver in the 17th minute. Pec had a lower-percentage shot in the 19th minute that Stuver easily scooped up, then hit the right post with a shot from the right side of the box at the 28-minute mark.
Austin’s Myrto Uzuni had chances for the home side in the 23rd and 36th minute, respectively, with the first saved by McCarthy and the second blocked by the Galaxy’s Eriq Zavaleta before it could get to McCarthy.
Pec had the second half’s initial scoring threat, but his left-footed shot was blocked by Hines-Ike.
McCarthy used a dive to his left to save Vazquez’s shot from the spot in the 70th minute after Austin’s Osman Bukari was tripped inside the 6-yard box by LA defender John Nelson.
–Field Level Media
