Austin FC vs. San Diego FC: The Playoff Race Comes to Q2
Feature
Written by MNY Sports Media
Saturday, September 26 | 7:30 PM CT | Q2 Stadium
For Austin FC, there is no time to dwell on what happened in Frisco.
The 0-0 draw against FC Dallas may have ended Austin’s Copa Tejas hopes for the season, but it also continued something that matters even more right now: Austin FC’s unbeaten run.
Now comes San Diego FC.
And this one has playoff implications written all over it.
Austin FC enters Saturday with 30 points, just one point behind San Diego FC’s 31. With the Western Conference standings packed tightly together, three points at Q2 Stadium could make a meaningful difference in Austin’s push toward the postseason.
Austin has quietly put together a strong stretch of results.
The Verde & Black are unbeaten in their last seven league matches. Before the draw in Dallas, Austin FC picked up a 2-1 win over Vancouver, with Christian Ramirez scoring twice. That victory also made Austin FC the first team in MLS history to defeat all three Cascadia clubs on the road in the same season.
But Saturday presents a completely different challenge.
San Diego FC already knows what it can do against Austin FC.
Earlier this season, San Diego FC handed Austin FC a 5-0 defeat at Snapdragon Stadium. That result is now several months old, but it gives Saturday’s meeting an interesting layer. Austin FC gets another chance to show how much has changed since that night.
Christian Ramirez will be one player to watch.
He has become an important part of Austin FC’s attack, while Facundo Torres has provided creativity from the attacking midfield. On the other side, San Diego FC will look toward Anders Dreyer and Marcus Ingvartsen for goals. Dreyer has 11 goals this season and has also created 61 chances, making him one of the players Austin FC will need to keep an eye on.
And then there is Q2 Stadium.
This is the kind of game where the crowd can become part of the story. Austin FC is chasing points. San Diego is chasing points. The two teams are separated by just one point.
There is very little room for anyone to relax.
Last weekend, Austin FC left Frisco with one point.
This weekend, the goal is clear for each team: turn that momentum into three!
