In the 60th minute of the U.S. Open Cup Final, all Q2 Stadium heard were boos.
There was no “Stuuuu” to signal a Brad Stuver save, nor were the typical drums playing from the southside of the stadium.
It was only the boos from the Austin FC faithful protesting the penalty given to Nashville SC, and even more so when forward Sam Surridge took his time to take the shot.
The stadium went from 100 to zero within seconds as Surridge’s shot hit the back of the net.
“I think it’s sad that you decide a final in that way. That (Video Assistant Referee) doesn’t have the capacity to turn that call away,” head coach Nico Estévez said. “But we have to live with that. We know life is not fair sometimes, and we don’t feel like we were treated in the right way. We have to move and use that pain for what is coming next.”
The boos did not quite stop there, though, because as the Verde and Black chased an equalizer, the referee’s decisions throughout the game were scrutinized by the fans, whether it was a foul or not.
Despite the loud home-field advantage, Austin FC wasn’t able to find the leveler in the remaining 30 minutes, falling short 1-2. The Verde and Black’s wait for their first trophy continues; meanwhile, Nashville claimed its first in club history.
“(The penalty) makes it a bigger challenge. It puts us under pressure again when we were able to come back from that initial goal,” captain Ilie Sánchez said. “We were just short on time. It was a crucial moment of the game, and definitely changed the development of what could have been in a different kind of call or play.”
Shortly after the trophy presentation, Austin FC stayed on the field to watch Nashville SC lift the Open Cup trophy.
As fireworks flew into the sky, most of the team walked off the field.
With a few players still left on the field, Stuver and midfielder Owen Wolff could be seen embracing as they stayed on the field a little bit longer.
Stuver and Wolff have been key to Austin’s season, and despite the loss, will have to quickly regroup along with the rest of the team to take on the remaining MLS season.
“We’re not a group that can rely on individual talent each game,” Stuver said. “We’re a team that has to rely on a collective and we’re at our best when we’re sticking to the game plan.”
Also, after the game, Sánchez was one of the last ones to come back into the locker room area. The midfielder looked up at fans on top of the tunnel, reassuring them to keep their chins up. As the captain, he also had a similar outlook on how he could lead the team past the defeat.
“For me, the best way I have right now to help myself first and the rest of my teammates is to keep my chin up. So they all see that they should be doing the same,” Sánchez said. “They should be doing the same because we are proud of everyone that had a role in this final and leading into playing this game.”
Austin FC will return to Q2 Stadium on Saturday to take on St. Louis City SC, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
