Austin FC will look back on the right track when they host the surprising Winless Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday afternoon.
Austin FC (4-3-1, 13 points) goes home after their most uneven match of the season, a 5-1 loss in Vancouver last weekend. The Texas account allowed two more goals than in its first seven matches of the season together.
Dani Pereira recorded Austin FC’s lonely goal in the 90th minute, and goalkeeper Brad Stuver stopped six shots to prevent the score from getting worse. The loss snapped Austin’s four match undefeated streak.
“This was a perfect time during our season for this to happen to us,” Austin FC Center Back Brendan Hines-like about the exhaust loss to the Western Whitecaps. “We were in a moment where we needed to realize that we can’t show up to play – whether it’s the top team in MLS or one of the teams that are at the bottom and fight for points – and not give everything we have.”
The galaxy (0-5-3, 3 points), the defending MLS champions, has suffered through a catastrophic season that sees them still looking for their first victory. Los Angeles came from behind and was a man down when former Austin FC midfielder Diego Fagundez did in the 57th minute to pull the galaxy in a 1-1-O-rejected at home against Houston last Saturday.
The drape snapped a two-match losing row for the galaxy.
Los Angeles has been outscored 15-6 this season but has produced two of its three points on the road. A season ago, the Galaxy scored 69 goals, mostly in the MLS Western conference.
“We have to clean it up-clean up to put ourselves in a hole and it is not so good,” said Galaxy coach Greg Vanney. “These are the biggest things. Because after that I feel we are back in the game and we look good.”
-Field level media
