Austin FC played their sixth-straight match on the road to start their inaugural season on Sunday, losing 1-0 to Nashville SC at Nissan Stadium.
During a tight first half Austin was forced into a substitution with Jhohan Romaña leaving the match in the 34th minute due to an apparent right leg injury. He was replaced along the backline by Julio Cascante.
Shortly after Nashville scored the opening goal of the match. In a transition moment, Jhonder Cadiz received the ball on the right wing. The forward was able to pick his cross and found Randall Leal, who bundled the ball into the net.
The Verde & Black pushed for an equalizer for the rest of the match and thought they found one through substitute Jared Stroud. The winger picked up the ball just outside the box after a flick-on header from Daniel Pereira and fired a rocket into the bottom corner to beat Joe Willis. But after Video Review, Stroud was ruled offside and the goal was disallowed.
Brad Stuver was able to keep the score at 1-0 in the 82nd minute when he came up with a big save on Dom Badji after the striker was able to find himself 1v1 with the ‘keeper on the break. Austin continued to push for an equalizer in the final minutes -- when they controlled a lion’s share of the possession -- but couldn’t find one against a strong Nashville defense that has conceded just four goals through six matches.
THREE THINGS
- TWO MORE: Austin’s eight-game road trip to start the season is nearly coming to a close as ATXFC is now through six of the eight games. They currently have six points and will be looking to increase that total in Seattle and Kansas City.
- STROUD SHOWS OUT: Though his goal was eventually disallowed, there’s no doubt that Jared Stroud was able to provide some punch off the bench yet again for the Verde & Black. He along with the other subs allowed Austin to control the vast majority of the possession in the second half.
- HOPING FOR THE BEST: Wolff and the rest of the coaching staff will be hoping Romaña will be able to recover quickly, as the Colombian center back has been a stalwart so far this season. Pereira will also hope to recover over the next week as he too left the match with an injury.
QUOTABLES
- Wolff on the team's offensive performance: "[We were] certainly not dangerous enough in front of goal. Chances came -- some of the shots were probably from distance -- but having said that, in the opening minutes of the game we had two chances from inside the box. Clean looks, open looks... You need to make those."
- Wolff's message to the fans after recent run of games: "Hang in there. It's part of our process right now. The fans were great again today -- they're in the stadium, outside the stadium -- it's beautiful to see."
