Hey you. Austin FC fan. Don’t be alarmed by that unfamiliar feeling you had ahead of Austin FC’s Tuesday night Leagues Cup match at Q2 Stadium against Liga MX powerhouse Monterrey. Don’t call your doctor. Don’t doom scroll WebMD.

That feeling was optimism. Though it’s been a while since the bright side has been visible to Verde and Black supporters, last Friday’s 3-2 win over Pumas UNAM to kick off the team’s Leagues Cup campaign was exhilarating enough to make even the most dour fan strain their mouth into a smile (those that could bring themselves to watch a Leagues Cup match, anyway).

New signings are here, and the team showed a spirit and resolve that hasn’t always been apparent in its three-plus-year history. Squint even a bit, and you can see the stretch run of Austin FC’s 2024 season offering plenty to get excited about.

Tuesday’s impressive 2-0 victory over another heavily favored team from Mexico offered further reason for Austin FC fans to start getting carried away with their daydreams. Austin FC were again out-possessed (Monterrey had 75% of the ball to Austin FC’s 25%) and outshot (Monterrey registered 21 shots while Austin FC had only five) by their Liga MX opponents but again displayed tenacious defensive ability when required.

“It was difficult in the first half,” Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff reflected after the match. “There were large stretches where we didn’t have the ball. That’s part of the deal. You’re playing against a good team. You want to minimize the things they want to get and get at. Transition was always going to be something we keyed in on,” he added.

After a scoreless first half, Austin FC finally delivered on the ‘counter’ part of their defend-and-counter game plan in the 61st minute. Jader Obrian regained possession just outside Austin FC’s box and played the ball to Sebastian Driussi. A slick back heel from Driussi (who, for the second straight match, wasn’t wearing the captain’s armband. It was again worn by Alex Ring.) found Jon Gallagher surging up the left flank.

Once inside Monterrey’s penalty area, Gallagher picked out Obrian’s run into the six-yard box with a clever flicked cross from his left foot. Obrian – lethal all season in transition moments – knocked the ball past Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada.

Though Gallagher has displayed an ability to get forward even when featuring in defensive positions, the arrival of right-back Mikkel Desler – who looked stout defensively in this match – has allowed the Irishman to move up to his more natural wide forward spot. Less inhibited by defensive responsibility by starting the match as an attacking left winger, Gallagher took advantage and flew forward aggressively when opportunities arose.

With a 1-0 lead, Wolff switched to a 5-4-1 formation in the 68th minute when midfielder Owen Wolff came on for striker Gyasi Zardes. Austin FC’s ability to shift between multiple defensive shapes was integral to their success Friday against Pumas, and that was again the case on Tuesday against Monterrey. Gallagher has been the poster boy for Austin FC’s flexibility. Against Monterrey, he dropped to left wingback after Wolff’s introduction and then finished the match at right wingback after Leo Vaisanen relieved Desler in the 73rd minute.

“Soccer players can play multiple positions in different spots,” Gallagher reflected after the match. “You have to be flexible, as you see, three different formations, two different formations, whatever it be…we’re fluid,” he said.

Austin FC are in a position to be flexible, in part, because they finally have depth – particularly in defense. “It’s a big change from past years, for sure,” Wolff said when asked about his team’s defensive depth post-match. “We’ve got five center-backs, probably five full-backs…there’s certainly some depth,” he continued. Four center-backs featured against Monterrey and new center-back signing Oleksandr Svatok has yet to debut.

Victory was sealed for Austin FC in the 79th minute when Dani Pereira latched onto a slow-rolling Wolff through ball with Monterrey’s defensive line pushed high up the field. With no Monterrey position player near him, Pereira calmly looped the ball around Andrada for Austin FC’s second goal of the night.

The win guarantees Austin FC finish top of their Leagues Cup group and secures them a spot in the round of 32. “I think the type of results that we got, not just the results themselves, but the emotions, and the way that we were able to capture the six points…that will be a big propellant in not just the next few games in Leagues Cup but also in MLS,” Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver said after the match.

Austin, it might finally be time to get your hopes up.

Eric McCoy

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