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Austin FC lost big against Kansas City last time, and they're looking for a rematch after their first week of rest. (Sporting Kansas City/Twitter)
After a brutal seven-game road stretch against some of the toughest teams in the MLS, Austin FC was in need of some good news. Luckily, they got it: the underdog club forced No. 1 Seattle Sounders to their first scoreless draw of the season and is coming in fresh off of their first weekend break so far.
At the beginning of the season, being relentless, having intensity and keeping a high tempo were all key factors in Austin FC's identity, according to head coach Josh Wolff. That willingness to fight was curbed at times by exhaustion and injuries, but Wolff said they've taken their week off to hit the "reset" button.
"We've been kind of using this international break to take stock of where we're at, and think back to some of the principles that we kind of started out with," he said.
Now, Austin FC is seeing another good omen as they head into their first-ever rematch. The club is slated to play Sporting Kansas City, the former stomping grounds of defender Matt Besler and head coach Josh Wolff, once again on Saturday. One of the top teams in the league, Kansas City beat Austin FC 2-1 in early May after a catastrophic second half for the Verde and Black. This time around, however, they'll be without key goalscorer Alan Pulido—and Austin could just get the upper hand.
Here's what to expect as Austin plays its first rematch in club history against Kansas City this Saturday:
What to expect
Sporting KC's Gianluca Busio is a 19-year-old force in the club's midfield. (Sporting Kansas City/Twitter)
Strictly on paper, Kansas City is set to win Saturday's match. KC is currently 2nd in the Western Conference compared to Austin FC's 11th, and while standings don't matter much in the league, it is telling of how each club has performed so far this season.
In eight matches, Kansas has lost just one and is coming off of a 5-2-1 record. The club has scored 15 goals, the most in the league, and KC's Dániel Sallói has the second most expected goals in MLS with 3.68.
Austin has lucked out, however, with the absence of their opponent's star forward Alan Pulido as he plays for the Mexican National Team this weekend. Pulido has accounted for one-third of Kansas City's 15 goals, and his absence will be felt at the crown of the club's offensive system. They also might see a more tired Gadi Kinda, who was called up to play for Israel's national team on Wednesday, June 9.
With Pulido gone, Kansas has lost a key cog in their machine, but they're still packing star power. The club scored three goals in 14 minutes against the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, May 30, in part thanks to a stunning free kick by 19-year-old Gianluca Busio. Busio, who has scored two goals this season, is now getting attention from high-profile European teams in Italy's Serie A.
Austin FC is coming off of a victory of sorts as well. The club may have been 'scoreless in Seattle,' but a scoreless draw against the No.1 team in the league is a victory of sorts in itself. Austin FC seemed to gain their bearings after a rough few weeks on the road, and they should be even more prepared and well-rested after a weekend at home.
The club scored against Kansas in just seven minutes last match, and they could do the same again if they manage to complete their chances up front.
Wolff said that the club held their own against Kansas City last time, and he doesn't expect much to change in KC's gameplay as they continue to press high and attempt to drive in goals.
"They're a well-oiled machine, they don't deviate from that too much," Wolff said. "We've got to go in there with a real clear picture, of what it's going to look like and how we have to match the intensity."
Projected starting lineup
For the first time this season, Austin FC could be facing a new lineup as they go into the weekend's match. Wolff hinted that a 4-4-2 or 4-3-1 lineup could soon be on the table instead of the 4-3-3 formation they've been touting this season. Still, I went with a safer bet and predicted that the 4-3-3 will stay for one more game.
Cecilio Dominguez had one of his best performances of the season against Seattle after being switched from left wing to striker, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him at the top of the lineup again this week. Jon Gallagher did his part in left wing and could be there again, although Danny Hoesen or Kekuta Manneh could also get some playing time in the new open position. Meanwhile, Jared Stroud has been consistent on right wing and is likely to stay there as he continues to create opportunities.
Jhohan Romana was reported to be practicing fully with the club this week after missing the Seattle match due to a leg injury. If recovered, he'll go back into center back over Julio Cascante.
Brad Stuver, one of just two players to have started every match this season, is near-guaranteed to be back in goal after making several "Saves of the Week" already this season.
Wolff said Stuver has exceeded his expectations as he secures his spot over Andrew Tarbell, who he was competing with for the starting position in preseason.
"His performance has been fantastic," Wolff said. "He's taken it and run with it...I think that's probably stood out the most, he's made some very good saves kept us in some games."
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Austin's real estate market broke multiple records in 2021. (MaxPixel)
The Austin-Round Rock MSA saw 41,316 homes sold in 2021, 2.5% more than a record-setting 2020. Median home prices skyrocketed as well, rising 30.8% from 2020 to $450,000. The housing market also saw unprecedented impact on Austin's economy, with sales dollar volume jumping to over $23.38 billion, and more homes hit the market in 2021 than any previous year, increasing by 5.9% to 46,449 total homes listed.
(Austin Board of Realtors)
As many recent Austin homebuyers have experienced firsthand, Austin Board of Realtors 2022 President Cord Shiflet said 2021 was the most "exciting, complicated, fast-paced and record-setting housing market" in Austin's history.
Shiflet dubbed the market as "complicated" for a reason—Austin became a case study on supply and demand in 2021, with demand far outpacing the number of active listings, which dropped by 48.2% to 2,348 homes in 2021.
The metro ended the year with 0.6 months of inventory, a far cry from a "healthy" six-month supply, and houses were snatched at breakneck speeds, spending 25 fewer days on the market when compared to 2020. The average home was on the market for 20 days.
But low inventory is more due to high demand than a stagnant homebuilding market, Mark Sprague, Independence Title's state director of information capital, said in the report.
“In 2021, the record number of homes sold were demand-driven transactions and that demand was influenced greatly by companies continuing to target the region for job creation and expansion," Sprague said. "Even though more homes are being built, listed and sold than ever before, our region is still nowhere close to having a comfortable amount of supply to meet the demand, which is why home prices continue to rise steadily.”
Over 23,000 jobs have been promised by companies across the metro as of December 2021, breaking the 2020 record, according to Opportunity Austin, the economic development arm of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. With an influx of major factories and offices, including Tesla's Giga Texas, Samsung's Taylor plant and a planned 33-floor Facebook office, Sprague said the region's booming market paired with a struggling inventory and supply chain issues could be a double-edged sword in 2022.
"In short, 2022 will see a robust market for home sales and property values, but the region must do more to address inventory, ” Sprague said.
Shiflet recommended that potential homebuyers make a decision ahead of predicted increases in interest rates and home prices and said that he hopes local politicians will continue to prioritize affordable housing in the election year.
Still, Shiflet said a record-breaking housing market reflects Austin's growing reputation as a hub for talent, tech jobs and a good quality of life.
"With all the new jobs across the region from exciting companies like Tesla and Samsung, Austin was put on the world’s stage and captured the hearts and attention of so many," Shiflet said. "We are lucky to call Austin our home when it has so much to offer from a great quality of life to a wonderful destination for innovation and opportunity.”
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