The Austin FC seeks to rely on their solid start to the season when they travel south to compete against the rebounding Houston Dynamo on Saturday in a Copa Tejas match in the city of Bayou.
The Verde (5-3-1, 16 points) was one of the surprise sides in MLS. Austin’s most recent release was a 1-0 home victory against the title champion of the League La Galaxy.
Brandon Vazquez scored in the 81st minute for Austin to produce the only goal of the match and be fine honorable to be stopped on a penalty kick in the 70th minute. The goalkeeper Brad Stover stopped four shots to win his fifth white sheet at the head of the League of the season.
The Verde had to play the last four minutes of a man’s downtime after Brendan Hines-ike was sent with a second yellow card for bad sportiness.
“For me, it was the most complete game we have played so far at home,” said Austin Nico Estevez coach. “We still have a lot to work on. So we have to continue to go on the field every day in training, give 100% and make sure that we continue to improve.”
The Dynamo (1-4-4, 7 points) experienced difficulties during their first eight games, while being ahead of 14-8. Houston has an undefeated sequence of three games which included a home victory against Los Angeles FC before zero matches at La Galaxy on April 12 and at home against Colorado during his last outing on April 19.
Ondrej Lingr scored an equalizer in the sixth minute of the second half to stop to allow Houston to divide the points. It was the initial match of the designated player with his team after being signed from SK Slavia Prague last month. Anime Bassi had the first goal of the Dynamo competition.
Houston coach Ben Olsen said Lingr only provides the offensive infusion his team needed.
“(Lingr) did exactly what he had to do,” said Olsen, “it’s good to have a guy at the end of something. I don’t think we have had this for some time. This is one of the things we loved about him.
Austin captured two of the three games between the teams last year, including one in Houston.
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