Austin FC defender Julio Cascante (18) heads past FC Dallas forward Logan Farrington (23) during the second half of an MLS soccer match in Austin, Texas, Saturday, March 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay )
AUSTIN (KXAN) – With an already thin roster, missing two key contributors was not an ideal situation for Austin FC in a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.
Midfielder Dani Pereira and center back Julio Cascante are training for the Copa America tournament with their respective national teams, Venezuela and Costa Rica, and will be unavailable for at least Austin FC’s next three matches during the group stage of the tournament. The club had to sign Austin FC II captain Alonso Ramirez to a short-term deal to fill his bench.
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Ramirez entered the game in the 86th minute for Jhojan Valencia, and coach Josh Wolff said he could see more time on the field as Verde and Black have two more games in the next six days.
“For his first game and the first few minutes, he did a good job,” Wolff said. “He will see some minutes over the next two games. He has trained with us several times.”
The club “needs players now,” Wolff reiterated Saturday during the post-match press conference. Austin FC has a pair of players on the way, Osman Bukari AND Mikkel Desler, but they are not available until July 18 when the summer transfer window opens. Austin FC went into the game against the Rapids with 16 men before Ramirez was called up, and more players from the second team could get a chance to play for the big club soon.
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“The guys in the second team have these chances because they perform,” Wolff said. “Alonso has been there for a few years and has done well. CJ (Fodrey), too, has improved over the last 18 months. The distance from the second team to the first team is still a long way, but training and playing with and performing in their space, they give themselves a chance.”
Fodrey also featured in the match against the Rapids, coming on in the 73rd minute for Alex Ring. Fodrey is on Austin’s extra roster and plays most of his minutes for Austin FC II.
Wolff said the focus is on what he has available now rather than missing players on international duty. Playing for your country is the highest honor and he certainly doesn’t blame the players for that and he doesn’t want to disrespect the players who take time off their absences.
“The players that aren’t here aren’t here,” he said. “We know who they are and the value they bring, and we have to go with who we have and take every opportunity we can to maximize points.”
Captain Sebastian Driussi returned for Austin after a groin injury kept him out of the 5-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on June 1. He had two shots, none on goal, and completed 29 passes. Defender Leo Väisänen was the only player to have a shot on goal, with a header in the 63rd minute. Austin had nine shots overall to Colorado’s 14.
After the loss, Austin dropped two spots in the Western Conference to eighth place with 23 points. Austin faces LAFC on Wednesday at Q2 Stadium and then hits the road to play Minnesota United on June 22.
