Behind Enemy Lines: Scouting Austin FC 🔎
Behind Enemy Lines: Scouting Austin FC 🔎
A quick turn around for both sides in an important Copa Tejas showdown.
The 2024 regular season continues to go by quickly here. FC Dallas will take the field again tomorrow night when they host rivals Austin FC in the club’s 24th game of the year.
A win over Austin will likely see FC Dallas win Copa Tejas in 2024, but more importantly, it will push FC Dallas closer to a playoff spot.
Austin comes into Wednesday’s game off a loss against the Seattle Sounders FC last Saturday night at Q2 Stadium, 1-0 on a Jordan Morris goal.
Key Player: Sebastian Driussi
There really is no change here for Austin. If Driussi is on his game, the Verde attack can be really tough to manage. But there have been plenty of times this season when he has disappeared in games, and Austin has struggled.
Key Matchup: Jader Obrian vs Sebastien Ibeagha
We may see someone like Paul Arriola or Ema Twumasi get tasked with defending the former FC Dallas winger, but don’t be surprised if Austin tries to put more pressure on the Dallas back line by tucking Obrian inside more against Ibeagha. Either way, it will be a track meet.
Availability Report1:
Suspended: Brenden Hines-Ike
Out: none
Questionable: none
On Loan: none
International duty: none
Quick Notes:
Our last meeting: FC Dallas has already faced Austin twice this season, with both teams winning 2-1 in their own building.
Copa Tejas decider: Wednesday’s match is crucial as the outcome will decide this season’s Copa Tejas, a supporter-created trophy that Austin has won each of the last two seasons. Austin currently leads the standings in points per game.
Recent form: Austin has had three wins in its last ten games, two of which have come in the last five games. Will FC Dallas see the team that lost three straight in June or one that has been finding some results lately?
Potential Lineup:
So far this season, Josh Wolff has stuck with a pretty consistent 4-2-3-1 lineup.
Stuver, Gallagher, Vaisanen, Cascante, Brio; Pereira, Ring; Obrian, Driuss, Findlay; Zardes
Keys To Three Points over Austin
Limit the chances: In terms of xG per 90 minutes, Austin is still the worst team in MLS. They will likely come into this one, looking for one or two big chances to finish and will then pack it in defensively. If Dallas can replicate what they did on Saturday against the Galaxy in this one (give up only one shot on goal and very few shots overall), they will stand a good chance to keep Austin off the board.
Keep pushing in the final third: The Austin defense has had some decent stretches this season, limiting teams in front of their own goal. However, in their last ten games, they have also struggled and given up a lot of chances. Dallas will want to continue to put pressure on the Austin defense.
Feed the Moose and Big Dawg: Both Logan Farrington and Petar Musa appear to be doing very well under Peter Luccin. Farrington is showing that if you defend up the field a bit, chances will follow. Musa continues to show that if you put him in good spots in the penalty area, he will score goals. Let’s see more of both on Wednesday.
Note: MLS has an injury report deadline: the day before each game. For now, I will include last week's injury report in our weekly scouting reports.