Austin FC returns to Q2 Stadium for its first Sunday home match of the season this weekend, when the Verde & Black will welcome Portland Timbers to Texas for the second of two regular season meetings between the teams in 2023. The match is set for a 7:30 p.m. CT kickoff.
Tune-In
Fans can watch the match in English or Spanish for free in over 100 countries with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, or live on national television in the United States on FS1 in English and FOX Deportes in Spanish.
- Stream: Click here to watch the match, or access it through any device compatible with the Apple TV app.
- Broadcast: Tune to FS1 (English) or FOX Deportes (Spanish) to watch the match broadcast live on national television.
- Radio: The match will be broadcast live locally in English on iHeart Radio’s Alt 97.5, and in Spanish on Univision’s TUDN Radio Austin (104.3-HD2, KLQB-FM).
Austin FC Outlook
ATXFC has seven games to go in its 2023 MLS regular season campaign, and everything to play for. The team is currently one point below the playoff line, in the midst of a large cluster of teams fighting to secure qualification for the postseason. A victory against Portland on Sunday would likely lift the Verde & Black back above the line ahead of two more key matches next week.
Last time out, Alex Ring’s equalizer at the death in New England secured an important away point for the team - just as Will Bruin did with a late goal of his own on May 6 in Portland. Those two equalizers are the two latest away goals in club history.
Emiliano Rigoni scored Austin’s other goal in the 2-2 draw against the Revolution, and has been in a good run of form as of late. The Argentine has three goals in his last six matches, and should arguably have had four (his header was adjudged not to have crossed the goal line in the August 30 match vs. Seattle).
Coming off a 15-day break since that previous match due to the international break, the team will be rested and ready to go come Sunday. One highlight of the break was a second career international call-up for Costa Rican center back Julio Cascante, who also netted his first career international goal in a friendly vs. United Arab Emirates.
Portland Timbers Outlook
The Timbers sit in 11th place in the Western Conference, level with Austin on 33 points. The club parted ways with longtime head coach Gio Savarese on August 21, and have since been under the direction of Interim Head Coach Miles Joseph. Joseph has guided the team to a 2-1-1 record in four games so far, including home wins over LAFC and RSL and an away draw against rivals Seattle.
The uptick in offensive output may be tied to the uptick in results. The Timbers scored multiple goals in all four matches in which Joseph has been in charge, a feat which they accomplished just twice in their previous 15 matches across all competitions.
Brazilian forward Evander is pacing the team with seven goals in 2023, with four assists making him the team’s leader in total goal contributions as well. Defenders Dario Zuparic and Claudio Bravo were on the scoresheet when the Timbers last played Austin.
