Coming off of a big derby win against Houston, Austin will go on the road to play another Texas rival FC Dallas. Copa Tejas comes down to this final match.
In their last match, the Verdes came away with a 2-1 win against Houston Dynamo. Three points against an in-state rival gives the boys a massive boost heading into this weekend.
The match was won by the backline, keeping playmaker Picault in check the entire game. The verde and black pitched a clean-sheet all the way up until the 92nd minute, when an attempted clearance from Lima defected off of Cascante for an own-goal.
This is how good the defense can play against a dangerous chance creator like Picault, who had a brace against ATX in September, if you remember. They just need to limit the dumb mistakes.
Our Opponent
If you look at the latest Western Conference standings, Austin FC sits squarely at the bottom. One notch above them is Dallas. Big D has not won in its last five games.
Making for an even spicier match against Austin, the club is just coming off of a devastating 2-1 defeat at the hands of Real Salt Lake. The Toros had a 1-0 lead all the way up until the 81st minute, where they gave up a goal. Then an astonishing 90th minute volley by Albert Rusnak handed Dallas their defeat mere minutes before the match was whistled finished.
Dallas is middle of the pack in terms of goals scored. A lot of that is due to young footy starlet Ricardo Pepi. The “Pepi-train” has caught wildfire ever since his goal-scoring appearances for the USMNT. The 18-year-old has even received interest from top European clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United, Inter Milan, and Bayern Munich. His MLS goal tally currently sits at 13. Take his goals away and Dallas would be dead last in the league in that category.
Score Prediction
The matchup should be very even, with both sides not playing well this season. The difference in such matches usually comes down to two things: who will make the big plays or who will make the big mistakes. Both sides have game-changers on offense, but also have their share of defensive calamities. We predict a 2-1 final in favor of Austin in Frisco, Texas.
Predicted Lineup
Expect a well-rested, familiar Starting XI ready to go hard on Saturday. No chance Josh Wolff makes a seven-man roster rotation like he did last time in Frisco. Austin FC has recently embraced Copa Tejas, a supporters-driven cup for Texas MLS teams, and now has its sights on winning that trophy to satiate Verde fans.
Injury Report
- OUT: Ben Sweat (Concussion)
- OUT: Danny Hoesen (Left Hip)
- OUT: Aaron Schoenfeld (Left Knee)
- OUT: Ulises Segura (Left Knee)
- OUT: Matt Besler (Concussion)
- OUT: Rodney Redes (Left Knee)
Matchday Notes
FC Dallas vs. Austin FC at Toyota Stadium will be regionally televised on Saturday (10/30), 7:00 pm CDT.
- TV: The CW Austin, UniMas Austin
- Streaming: Austin FC app
- Radio: Alt 97.5, TUDN 104.3