Austin FC II will hit the road for the first time this season to face Tacoma Defiance in Tukwila, Washington this Sunday, March 22, for a 9 p.m. CT kickoff. The match will be available to watch on OneFootball and MLSNEXTPro.com.
Austin FC II Outlook
Austin FC II comes off its first win of the season over North Texas SC at home. The winning goal was a strike from far outside the box by Djaka Barro before the half, with the Verde & Black’s defensive efforts shutting out NTSC in the second to collect all three points.
Austin FC II only faced Tacoma Defiance once last season, walking away with all three points. Barro opened scoring in that match as well to put the Verde & Black on top. ATXFCII will look to repeat last season’s victory and continue building momentum.
Tacoma Defiance Outlook
Similar to Austin FC II, Tacoma Defiance entered the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season under new management. Head Coach Paulo Nagamura joins the Seattle Sounders affiliate with 12 years of MLS playing experience and eight years of coaching experience. He is supported by former Sounders FC midfielder João Paulo as the newly hired assistant coach.
Tacoma Defiance earned its first point of the new campaign last time out in a draw against San Jose Earthquakes II. The team fell short in its first two matches of the season against LAFC and Houston Dynamo 2, where Nagamura previously served as head coach, so Tacoma will look to capitalize on its home field advantage against the Verde & Black.
