With Austin FC already qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, the Verde & Black now aim to clinch a top seven finish and a guaranteed spot in Round One. The team has the opportunity to do just that this Sunday with a win against LAFC. Match kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CT at Q2 Stadium.
Sunday marks Austin’s final regular season home match, and at the match Austin FC will host Noche Verde, a celebration of fans of the Verde & Black.
Tune-In
- Stream: Click here to watch the match on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, or access it through any device compatible with the Apple TV app.
- Radio: The match will be broadcast live locally in English on iHeart Radio’s Alt 97.5, and in Spanish on Univision’s TUDN Radio Austin (104.3-HD2, KLQB-FM).
Austin FC Outlook
Coming from a 3-1 loss against St. Louis City SC, Austin FC is looking to bounce back this weekend against LAFC with playoffs already clinched. Austin fared well in its last meeting with LAFC, a 1-0 win in California in March thanks to an early goal by Guilherme Biro.
Owen Wolff assisted Biro’s header off a corner, just as he did in the match against St. Louis setting up Oleksandr Svatok. Wolff has tallied 11 assists in all competitions and was named to the MLS 22 Under 22 list at the No. 4 spot on Wednesday.
Brad Stuver – who just broke the MLS record for most saves in a five-year span – will look to add to his tally over the final two regular season matches. If Austin beats LAFC, they’ll guarantee finishing in the top six and avoiding the Wild Card Game.
LAFC Outlook
LAFC are the most in-form team in MLS, having won their last six matches in a row. Son Heung-min – who arrived in a blockbuster move from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer – immediately formed an effective attacking partnership with Denis Bouanga. The pair recently combined to score 18 consecutive goals for LA across seven matches.
Those two will miss the game in Austin while away on international duty, but LAFC was able to get a win without them on Wednesday night, defeating Toronto FC 2-0 at home. While its offense grabs the headlines, the team has also kept three consecutive clean sheets.
LAFC’s winning streak vaulted the team into the conversation for the top seed in the Western Conference. They trail San Diego and Vancouver by one point, but have a game in hand on San Diego, making this weekend’s results key heading into MLS Decision Day on October 18.
