Austin FC II will kick off its third MLS NEXT Pro season in front of its home fans this Friday night under the lights at Parmer Field at St. David’s Performance Center. The Verde & Black host Colorado Rapids 2 for a 5:30 p.m. CT kickoff. The match will be available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Austin FC II Outlook
Austin FC II returns to the pitch with a hunger to also return to the playoffs after narrowly missing out last year. The team made seven signings during the offseason, adding MLS SuperDraft picks Riley Thomas and Patrick Gryczewski, Romanian youth international forward Vlad Dǎnciuțiu, former La Masia midfielder Jorge Alastuey, Polish American defender Daniel Cieśla, proven MLS NEXT Pro midfielder Adrián González, and AS Monaco academy product Jules Bery.
The same coaching staff from last season remains in place though, with Head Coach Brett Uttley supported by assistants Chris Harmon and Cameron Sauro.
As ATXFC II looks to recapture the form that helped it win the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro title, capitalizing on home-field advantage will be key. The team won 9 of its 14 league home games during its championship campaign.
Colorado Rapids 2 Outlook
Similar to ATXFC II, Rapids 2 had an excellent 2023 but didn’t qualify for the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs in 2024. Colorado finished in last place in the MLSNP Western Conference last season.
To help with this season’s push, the team added 10 new signings during the offseason. Erik Bushey has led the team as its head coach since February 2022.
Last season, the Verde & Black fared well against Colorado, picking up 7 of a possible 9 points against Rapids 2. The most recent meeting between the sides was a 4-3 thriller, with Austin turning defeat into victory in stoppage time. CJ Fodrey scored twice in that match.
