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From 'MLS in Austin' to Austin FC's first match: A guide to the first game and how we got here

Years before the city of Austin went Verde, thousands of the city's soccer fans formed a supporters' group—MLS in Austin—for a team that didn't even exist yet.
Now, as the team's catchphrase suggests, those same fans are #LISTOS as they prepare to see their team on national television at Austin FC's debut on Saturday.
What to expect
The team will face a significant opponent in LAFC, who is projected at No. 2 in the league's power rankings. Austin FC currently sits at No. 21.
"LAFC has one of the best attacking teams in the league," Head Coach Josh Wolff said. "They will punish you. They've never been shy of putting up goals, and again, I expect them to be one of the best teams in the league this year."
The club has lived up to Wolff's words: in just their second season of existence, LAFC took first in the Western Conference and were Supporters' Shield winners in 2019.
Austin FC will need to hold off LAFC captain Carlos Vela, a versatile winger/attacking midfielder who won the Most Valuable Player title in 2019, as well as high-scoring forward Diego Rossi.
Austin FC starting lineup vs. LAFC
(Claire Partain/Austonia)
Meanwhile, LAFC will face challenges in DP Cecilio Dominguez and midfielder Alex Ring, the former NYCFC "ringleader" who wears the captain's armband for his new team. We still don't have any updates for starting forward Rodney Redes, who may or not be playing Saturday due to a "ding" on his knee.
If Redes is fine, we think he'll stay at forward, where he's been excelling throughout preseason. If not, a more experienced Kekuta Manneh might take to the pitch in his stead. Midfielder Jared Stroud is also in the running after he went in for an injured Redes against San Antonio FC on April 10.
While Captain Alex Ring and DPs Tomas Pochettino and Dominguez are shoe-ins for the starting lineup, some other positions are up in the air.
Twenty-year-old Daniel Pereira, Austin FC's No. 1 SuperDraft pick, has done even better than expected in preliminary scrimmages. He's still young, however, and Austin FC recruited him more for his depth than immediate starting appeal. If Pereira doesn't start, it's likely to be Diego Fagundez who takes the starting spot.
Another young potential starter comes in 22-year-old Jhohan Romana, a sturdy defender who has shown inconsistency in preseason. The backline is a clear weak spot for the team so far, and while Romana shows promise, Wolff may look for experience in Julio Cascante for their first starting lineup.
Finally, goalies Brad Stuver and Andrew Tarbell are neck-and-neck in the race for a starting spot. We put Stuver on here for his preseason performance, but neither would be a surprise as starting goalkeepers.
How we got here
It's hard to put into words how monumental it is for these supporters to see their own team one day away from its historic opening match, but the excitement can be felt across the city.
To put things in perspective, here's a timeline of events that brought us here, from "MLS in Austin" all the way up to Saturday's opener.
Where to watch
While Austin FC's first season will officially be underway, their inaugural match will be nearly 1,500 miles away from their home city.
That's no problem for some fans, including those in Austin FC fan group Los Verdes. A group of dedicated supporters are going to the West Coast to welcome their team into the stadium. While LAFC isn't officially allowing Austin fans in due to COVID protocol, some are still searching for a way to watch their beloved team take the pitch for the first time.
Meanwhile, thousands of dedicated fans are also staying home to support their club. Austin FC's first official watch party is sold out with over 1,000 RSVPs, and Austin Anthem is holding a 1000 plus-person watch party as well. For a full list of Austin FC watch parties and participating pubs, click here.
For those staying home, the match will be broadcast nationally on FOX and FOX Deportes at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Don't miss out on the game!
Live, from LA! Austonia's Claire Partain and Sonia Garcia bring you Austin FC's first-ever official match
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Popular
Austin FC defied the odds in a 1-0 win against CF Montreal Saturday night. (Austin FC/Twitter)
After a sluggish start and first-half red card, Austin FC beat the odds with ten men to beat CF Montréal 1-0 Saturday night.
Even with Dani Pereira's fateful red card and a resulting one-man deficit on the pitch, the Verde and Black won in its first MLS match in three weeks thanks to a former Montreal striker—Austin FC's Maxi Urruti—who scored against his old teammates in the 67th minute to win the match.
The club remains at third in the MLS West as it nears the halfway point on its second season.
Here are three takeaways from the match:
One too many tackles
i just wanted to apologize to everyone, got to be more responsible than that and not let the team down the way i did again, i apologize to the fans, teammates, coaching staff and everyone that’s part of this organization🖤💚
— Daniel Pereira (@danipereira121) June 19, 2022
Fans breathed a sigh of relief—and surprise—when Pereira was first spotted on the CF Montreal pitch for his first match on international soil. The 21-year-old starter arrived from Venezuela as an asylum seeker when he was 15 and has been unable to play in games outside of the U.S. since.
But for the second time in two months, Pereira was forced to the bench as his wayward tackle earned a red card before the end of the first half. With ten men left on the pitch, Austin FC was left with no Pereira, 11 opponents and an entire half left of play.
In a tweet, Pereira apologized to fans after the match as the team celebrated its victory. The game marks the first win in a red card match in Austin FC's history.
An Urruti goal
Amazing set up, smart finish! 😤@AustinFC take the lead! pic.twitter.com/cBYmThYB4P
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 19, 2022
Austin FC took its furthest road trip to date as it ended its hiatus with the Montreal match, and the visitors seemed to still be shaking off the three-week-old dust in the first half of the match. And while Montreal racked up higher possession, shots on goal and more across the stat board, Urruti's second-half goal sealed the deal for the unlikely Austin victors.
Urruti, who spent time with Montreal for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, tapped a big Jon Gallagher pass over his former team's goalie in the 67th minute to secure the win. Urruti has scored five goals this season and is behind just Sebastian Driussi as the team's top goalscorer.
Stuver's key saves
Stuver will make the silliest mistake playing out the back one minute and then bounce back with a crucial save like this... we got lucky here.#AustinFC#Verdepic.twitter.com/iuDAJW9tt6
— WeAreAustinTV (@WeAreAustinTV) June 19, 2022
Austin FC's unlikely win could've ended much differently without the usual heroics from keeper Brad Stuver.
While Stuver hasn't had to make the same rapid-fire saves as last season, he's still proved crucial in Austin's closest games. Such was the case when the keeper made a cheeky last-minute grab for the ball while sitting on the ground to keep Montreal's Kei Kamara from scoring in the first half.
Stuver made two other saves in the match to complete his fourth clean sheet of the season.
BONUS: Fagundez's near-miss
Building momentum. 😤 pic.twitter.com/wXMHSF8xgz
— Austin FC (@AustinFC) June 19, 2022
Midfielder Diego Fagundez's enemy isn't always his opponents.
Fagundez attempt at Austin's first goal was stymied by the post as his shot ricocheted back to Montreal in the 58th minute of play.
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(ATCEMS/Twitter)
The pilot of a small plane is now in the hospital after crashing into Lady Bird Lake Thursday afternoon.
The plane, which was being operated by a Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden, only had the pilot in it when it crashed just west of I-35 in the lake around 2 p.m. Nearby paddleboarders are seen taking the unidentified pilot to Austin-Travis County EMS in a video.
The pilot was then transported to Dell Seton Medical Center with potentially serious injuries.
UPDATE: #ATCEMSSPARTAN drone video showing the aircraft submerged just below the surface. pic.twitter.com/wexI9MqpQS
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) June 16, 2022
Texas Parks and Wildlife said the plane, a 2009 Cessna T206, was on a test flight after routine maintenance when the pilot reported mechanical issues and then crashed.
As of Thursday afternoon, it is not known when the plane will be removed from Lady Bird Lake.
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