Austin FC II stays on the road to play its 13th away match of the season this Friday against Tacoma Defiance for a 9:00 p.m. CT kickoff. The match will be available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Austin FC II Outlook
Austin FC II fell 1-0 on the road against Minnesota United FC 2 last time out. MNUFC2 found the lead in the first half, though goalkeeper Charlie Farrar made multiple key saves in the second half to keep the Loons from going furthering ahead. The Verde & Black were ultimately unable to find the equalizer by the end of the match.
ATXFC II now face Tacoma Defiance for the first time this season. Just one point shy of the playoff line, the match will take on an additional signficance for the Verde & Black as they look to change the tides and collect vital points out in the Pacific Northwest.
Tacoma Defiance Outlook
Tacoma Defiance are coming off a 3-1 loss to Whitecaps FC 2, in which Tacoma’s only goal came from Yu Tsukanome via a penalty kick. Despite opening the scoring, Tacoma was outpaced as two goals came in quick succession from Vancouver, who then added a third in extra time to secure the win.
Despite sitting at 13th in the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference standings, Tacoma has a dangerous attack with Tsukanome tallying a team-high of 14 goals this season. Osaze De Rosario, who also plays for Seattle Sounders at the club’s first team level, has scored eight goals this season from the 11 MLSNP matches he’s played in. With just five games left in the regular season and a nine-point gap to the playoff line, it’s do or die time for the Defiance.
