MLS playoffs: Austin FC ousts rival FC Dallas, advances to Western Conference final

AUSTIN, Texas — It was never in doubt.

Austin FC barely snuck past Real Salt Lake in their first-ever playoff appearance last week, a game they were supposed to win comfortably. It took some fortune in a penalty kick shootout and a few great saves by goalkeeper Brad Stuver to help them advance. But that was the dress rehearsal of sorts for the second-year team. Sunday night under the lights at Q2 Stadium was the main act and Austin knocked it out of the park with a 2-1 win over rival FC Dallas.

For the opening 25 minutes Josh Wolff’s squad was in total control of the game with swarming high pressure that forced Dallas to sit back a bit. His decision to start Moussa Djitté looked genius as the Senegalese forward pounced on a loose ball off a corner kick to bury the opening goal in the 26th minute.

Three minutes later the green neon lights were flashing again as MLS MVP candidate Sebastián Driussi snatched a giveaway near midfield and turned the jets on, dancing by a defender and ripping a shot from outside the box to double the advantage.

This time it was Austin trying to manage a two-goal lead instead of hoping to mount another comeback as it has gotten a little too used to this season.

The second half got somewhat off script for the home side when FC Dallas star Alan Velasco snuck one past Stuver after nice build-up play ended with a lucky deflection and left him in front of the net. The pressure didn’t ease up as they desperately searched for the equalizer, but Austin was prepared to absorb blows and made players like Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola mostly irrelevant.

Stuver came up with his biggest stop of the night in the 86th minute, getting his foot on a ball heading toward a crushing equalizer, saving Austin FC as he’s done countless amount of times.

As the clock moved closer to 90 minutes, Austin’s home field advantage helped finish off the game. The chants got louder and fans all around the stadium remained on foot cheering on their team that finished No. 2 in the West after last year’s inaugural season ended with them in 12th place.

"Hard to find an atmosphere like that anywhere in the league," said head coach Josh Wolff. "I’ve been in this league a long time, but that was an impressive atmosphere — the energy and the electricity in the air, and obviously the start for us was fantastic."

Stuver echoed similar sentiments on the epic night.

"That’s the loudest I’ve ever heard it, and it was shocking to me," he added. "That’s hard to do because Q2 is loud on a normal day, but it was another level today."

It was a fitting send-off for Austin FC who will travel to Los Angeles to play LAFC in the Western Conference final. As the pregame tifo from the Verde faithful stated, the legend grows.