As Sebastián Driussi wins league award, Austin FC looks to bolster postseason hopes
Austin FC coach Josh Wolff and defender Nick Lima gave us a glimpse into the club’s preseason goals during El Tree’s weekly media availability, and it turns out — perhaps not surprisingly — the team’s success this year is essentially what it has expected since it started camp more than seven months ago.
Both Wolff and Lima noted that the target all along has been to host a playoff game in October, meaning the club would have to finish in the top four of the Western Conference standings.
While ambitious by any standard, that would have raised eyebrows had it been public in January after a rough inaugural season.
More:New Austin FC designated player Emiliano Rigoni could end up staying awhile
But with Austin FC in second place in the West nearly 70% of the way through the year, the team has proved its self-confidence was valid — and the doubters were wrong.
Still, as it heads into Saturday night’s home match with the San Jose Earthquakes four points behind conference-leading Los Angeles FC and nine points clear of the fourth playoff spot, the Verde and Black isn’t sitting around appreciating what it’s done.
The MLS standings can change dramatically in less than a month, and with traditional Western Conference powers Seattle and Portland making a charge up the standings after a slow first four months of the season, Austin FC players know the team's spot today doesn’t guarantee anything come mid-October.
“The mentality the team has had all year of competing is something that’s helped us to where we are,” said Lima, who has had a stellar season at right back. “But we still have a good portion of the season to go. It’s been our goal all year to have a home playoff game, and we’re in a good spot to make that goal happen, but we aren’t counting our chips. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
While it might not seem like it with where they sit in the standings — San Jose is next to last and Kansas City is last — Austin FC’s next two games are key.
Win both, and it takes a bit of pressure off the stretch run to the end of the season, when Austin FC will face the other teams in playoff contention in the West.
Tie or lose both, and El Tree’s margin for error tightens in the season’s last six weeks to stay in the race to host a postseason game.
And while one or two results can’t be overreacted to in the MLS — and you’ve read multiple times in this space that any playoff berth should be considered a success — Austin FC would be better served getting six points against the two worst teams in the conference.
“The way we operate is one game at a time,” said Wolff, who, to his credit, again stayed true to his seasonlong mantra. “There’s no team that you can overlook, and there’s no opportunity that’s too small or too big. We’re aware of future opponents, but you can’t get carried away as there’s no way to predict results from other teams.”
Austin FC stronger on road than at home
While Austin FC has been exceptional on the road, with the best away record in the league at 8-2-3 with 26 points, it has only been good — not that that’s a knock — at home.
El Tree has played the fewest home games in the MLS with 10, and it has produced 18 points at Q2 Stadium on a record of 5-3-2.
Again, that’s not bad — and wins over the next two games would actually turn Austin FC into one of the league’s top-10 home teams — but the team still wants to duplicate its road form.
“We’re trying to prove something all the time,” Lima said. “When you go on the road, it’s pretty black and white of what you need to do. Road games are always hard in this league, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon, but we need to be on the front foot at home, and that will make (Q2) even more difficult to play at.”
MVP candidate Sebastián Driussi named MLS player of the month
Austin FC midfielder Sebastián Driussi was named the MLS Player of the Month for July after scoring five goals and producing three assists in six matches.
While most players across the league will get a short break next week, Driussi will fly to Minneapolis over the next couple of days to take part in the MLS All-Star Game festivities.
He’s one of 10 players who will compete in the skills challenge Tuesday against a group of players from Liga MX, then will be part of the MLS squad that will face a squad of Liga MX players Wednesday night at Allianz Field.
Lima noted that Driussi’s excellence is the product of an impressive daily routine.
“I think the hardest things in sports and life is to be consistent in all environments — and we see what kind of player he is every day in training,” he said. “Everything he’s received is much-deserved, and I think he’s just getting started.”
Saturday's match
Austin FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 8 p.m., Q2 Stadium, KNVA, 97.5
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin FC could bolster playoff chances with games versus bad teams
