Austin FC Earns Shootout Win over Real Salt Lake, Advances to Western Conference Semifinals

October 16, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Austin FC News Release

Austin, TEXAS – Sebastián Driussi scored twice and Brad Stuver saved two penalty kicks as Austin FC erased a two-goal deficit to win its first-ever Audi MLS Cup Playoffs match. The match ended 2-2 after extra time, and the Verde & Black won the ensuring shootout 3-1.

Austin advances to the Western Conference Semifinals, where it will host the winner of tomorrow’s match between FC Dallas and Minnesota United FC next Sunday.

RSL took the lead in the 3rd-minute through Cordova, who then doubled his tally 12 minutes later from the penalty spot.

Austin responded well to the early deficit, and got a goal back through Driussi in the 31st-minute. Diego Fagundez played an inch-perfect cross for the Argentine to head in, the eighth time in 2022 that pair combined to score.

The Verde & Black came to life in the second half, with a pair of chances falling Emiliano Rigoni’s way. Between those chances, RSL forward Rubio Rubin was shown a red card for a foul on Stuver.

Austin piled on the pressure, forcing multiple saves from RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath. Just when it looked as though time might run out, Emiliano Rigoni won a penalty kick in stoppage time. Driussi converted the ensuing penalty kick to tie the score with only moments remaining in the match.

Driussi came close to winning the match on three separate occasions in extra time, hitting the post once and twice having goals ruled out.

In the shootout, Stuver saved a pair of RSL penalty attempts and a third was missed, meaning successful attempts from Driussi, Fagundez, and Rigoni won the contest for Austin.

Next Match

Austin FC will host the winner of Monday’s match between FC Dallas and Minnesota United FC at Q2 Stadium in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals on Sunday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. CT. The match will feature national television broadcasts on ESPN in English and on ESPN Deportes in Spanish.

On radio, the match will be broadcast on KASE-FM (ALT 97.5) in English, as well as on TUDN Radio Austin (104.3-HD2, KLQB) in Spanish.

Goal-Scoring Summary

RSL (0-1) – Sergio Cordova (assisted by Andrew Brody, Pablo Ruiz) 3′

RSL (0-2) – Sergio Cordova (penalty kick) 15′

ATX (1-2) – Sebastián Driussi (assisted by Diego Fagundez, Ruben Gabrielsen) 31′

ATX (2-2) – Sebastián Driussi (penalty kick) 90+4′

Misconduct Summary

RSL – Rubio Rubin (yellow card) 17′

ATX – Alex Ring (yellow card) 41′

RSL – Justen Glad (yellow card) 45+4′

RSL – Rubio Rubin (second yellow card, red card) 52′

RSL – Scott Caldwell (yellow card) 90+2′

Austin FC vs. Real Salt Lake | Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One

Q2 Stadium (Austin, TX) | October 16, 2022

Lineups

Austin FC: Brad Stuver, Jon Gallagher (Žan Kolmanič 64′), Ruben Gabrielsen, Julio Cascante, Nick Lima, Jhojan Valencia (Dani Pereira 46′), Alex Ring © (Felipe 82′), Sebastián Driussi, Diego Fagundez, Maxi Urruti (Moussa Djitté 46′), Ethan Finlay (Emiliano Rigoni 46′)

Substitutes not used: Andrew Tarbell, Jhohan Romaña, Owen Wolff, Hector Jimenez

Head Coach: Josh Wolff

TOTAL SHOTS: 38; SHOTS ON GOAL: 11; FOULS: 11; OFFSIDE: 6; CORNER KICKS: 14; SAVES: 2

Real Salt Lake: Zac MacMath, Andrew Brody, Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva ©, Bryan Oviedo (Tate Schmitt 73′), Pablo Ruiz (Scott Caldwell 84′), Jefferson Savarino (Bode Hidalgo 73′), Maikel Chang (Nick Besler 61′), Braian Ojeda, Sergio Cordova (Jasper Loffelsend 61′), Rubio Rubin

Substitutes not used: Tomas Gomez, Justin Meram, Anderson Julio, Danny Musovski

Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni

TOTAL SHOTS: 11; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 11; OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 8

Match Information Referee: Victor Rivas Assistant Referee 1: Cory Richardson Assistant Referee 2: Jeffrey Greeson 4th Official: Fotis Bazakos VAR: Chris Penso Assistant VAR: Eric Weisbrod Weather: Partly cloudy, 87 degrees Attendance: 20,738 Statistical source: MLSsoccer.com / Opta

• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board…

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.