The task at hand for Austin FC was quite simple on Saturday night at Q2 Stadium. Working with a 2-0 lead, the Verde had just 10 minutes to close out its all-Texas affair against the Houston Dynamo.
Holding on to the lead would mean another three points for the playoff race, a third Austin FC MLS win in a row and a victory against one of its Texas rivals.
Instead, the game ended with a Dynamo comeback that tied the final scoreline at 2-2.
“Obviously, we are not happy with the result,” head coach Nico Estévez said. “We wanted to win for us, for the fans and for the club to keep climbing in the table. But we know how difficult it is in this league.”
Houston’s late-game rally started in the 73rd minute when defender Pablo Ortiz fell in the penalty box. After a lengthy review, the referees deemed that Austin midfielder Robert Taylor committed a tripping offense, giving a penalty shot to the Dynamo.
From 12 yards out, midfielder Jack McGlynn dispatched the penalty in the 80th minute as goalkeeper Brad Stuver dove the opposite way.
Up 2-1, the Verde and Black found themselves in a similar situation as the last two games against the LA Galaxy and D.C. United. In those respective games, they held a 2-0 lead before their opponents converted a penalty, with LA also converting its penalty late in the game.
The difference this time around was that Austin never regained control defensively. While they continued to attack and try to seal the game, the defense was left too stretched with insufficient cover for Houston’s counterattacks.
In the 89th minute, the lack of defensive control was exposed.
With Austin defenders struggling to recover their positions, winger Lawrence Ennali received a through ball that he sent to McGlynn at the edge of the box. With no immediate Austin player pressing him, McGlynn struck the ball into a crowded box where it took a deflection on its way to goal.
“I think what we have to learn is — after the decision that was against us with the (penalty kick) — is (to) have a little bit more control in those moments,” Estévez said.
While the tie may feel like a loss, forwards Osman Bukari and Owen Wolff remained in good form. Wolff’s 31st-minute corner created the first goal, while Bukari provided an assist 10 minutes later. Both wide players now have three goal contributions within the last three games.
There are also some key lessons Estévez hopes to carry into Austin’s next game against another Texas rival, FC Dallas.
“I think what we have to learn is when you are doing that well in those 70 minutes, you need to make the difference longer in the result,” Estévez said. “And if you cannot, how you can hold that advantage and not get that stretched. Because, as we saw in the second goal, we were a little bit stretched there.”
Austin FC will return to Q2 Stadium to face off against Dallas on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
