Austin FC wasn’t a disaster in 2021. While they finished second to last in the West and had the worst goal differential in the conference (-21), it was far from a porous defensive performance like Minnesota and Cincinnati did in their debut seasons. However, it may have been difficult for coach Josh Wolff to pinpoint a moment when his team produced an ideal performance in that inaugural campaign. Fast forward to October 2022, and Wolff has an answer ready as soon as the question ends.
“I think the LAFC game was a pretty complete game,” Wolff said Athletics last week. “I think that from the offensive and defensive side, it was a very strong performance. Consistency is always something you are looking for. Having clear ideas on how to hurt opponents is something we talk about a lot. You know, between the lines, around them and on them are things that we talk about a lot. You must also protect; eliminate some of the options for the opposition.
Wait… LAFC? The team that won the Supporters’ Shield managed to fold Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini into their wage budget after decisively gaining control over the MLS? that LAFC?
Perhaps even more surprising to a hypothetical (and, frankly, unambitious) time traveler from late 2021 would be the follow-up that Wolff’s response prompted: which wins against LAFC this year? May’s 2-1 victory in California, or September’s 4-1 at home?
“Oh, sorry,” Wolff said with a laugh. “The one at home. He had a different approach there. You respect your opponents, you really do, and they’re loaded with talent. I think (we used) two different approaches given the location and the game, but the good thing is that we showed we could win in two different ways. It also shows the character and certainly the consistency in our group.”
A casual MLS fan would be forgiven for wondering how Austin got there so quickly. But in a league with plenty of roster mechanisms to shop around and plenty of players with option years to allow teams more flexibility when things go south, it really didn’t take long for Austin to rise up the list in his second year – and they’ve loved every minute of the task at hand, too.
Despite their early struggles, Austin finished their first season with several players who could be part of a winning core.
In Brad Stuver, they had acquired a local goaltender who had been stuck on the bench for other teams, but was a reliable stopper (and a great human being). Even if the defense needed a rework, Julio Cascante looked the part and was worthy of another year in the lineup. First pick of the 2021 SuperDraft, Daniel Pereira, quickly looked like a regular addition to the midfield alongside club captain Alexander Ring.
Perhaps the two most promising holders were in the forward line. The first, Sebastian Driussi, is one of two genuine MVP candidates this season. Driussi with 22 goals and 7 assists won the endorsements of past MLS MVPs and other Argentinian greats Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Diego Valeri. Even more impressive is his all-around game. While a player with those attacking credentials could be forgiven for being allergic to defensive responsibility, Driussi makes a regular point of tracking and help to strengthen midfield.
“I think the first thing with Sebastian is his work ethic,” Wolff said. “I mean, it’s not difficult to motivate Sebastian Driuss, which is an incredible quality. The reality is that teams will be key to you and want to get you out; let’s have some more ways to involve you directly or indirectly.”
Many of the scoring chances he converted were taken away by the second standout striker: Diego Fagúndez.
Fagúndez will forever live in league lore as one of the first homegrown MLS players to become a regular in the league. He made his debut for the New England Revolution at the age of 16, and by 2020, Fagúndez had spent a decade playing the ground in Foxborough. Although he turned just 26 months before the 2021 season began, he felt his team had decided he was on the decline.
“I think sometimes people think your career is over,” Fagúndez said this week, “and then you go somewhere else and come out and have good years. I think about me, that’s what they thought about me. I think people thought I was done and I wouldn’t be the same Diego I was in 2013, 2014 and so on, but I wanted to come here and prove them all wrong. To have confidence, to play my position, to score goals, assists, having fun – that’s what it’s all about.”
The change of scenery has done wonders. He followed up a seven-goal, five-assist debut in 2021 with a career year in 2022. His 15 assists tied for second-best in MLS, while he added six goals to set a new career high for combined goal contributions. The Driussi effect here is undeniable, but it goes beyond Fagúndez being the right guy at the right time.
“I think to have a player like Sebastian who makes me a better player and I can make him a better player, I think it’s fantastic,” said Fagúndez.
Indeed, what might have looked this offseason like Austin driving a wagon of rags and bones ended up being the secret to turning their fortunes from second-worst in the conference to second-best. Like Fagúndez before them, several MLS veterans headed to Texas over the past year. Ethan Finlay had worked with Wolff in Columbus and was a rotational figure with Minnesota in 2021. Felipe Martins played for four teams in his first decade playing in MLS, most recently languishing with a lackluster DC United team . Maxi Urruti was even more nomadic (five MLS clubs in nine years), often misused as a deep-lying forward or an emergency striker due to his passing ability and athleticism.
The process of bringing out more players that other teams thought were past their prime is something Wolff enjoys immensely.
“The players you have have to believe you can make them better,” Wolff said. “That’s a real part of what we do as a coach – I’m a teacher. I think there’s always satisfaction in helping players achieve more than they’ve done before, but much more about improving themselves and achieving what they truly believe they can achieve. If you are 20 or 30 years old, being a coach, having a growth mindset, is not a given. Those are things that we really talk about a lot and our guys really responded to that, and they’re going to have to continue to do that next year. We’ll have new ideas, subtle things, but staying hungry and keeping an open mindset to learn is important.”
The new faces are Ruben Gabrielsen, a Norwegian centre-back who has become a beloved figure in the dressing room, and Emiliano Rigoni, a designated player and Driussi’s former teammate at Zenit. Each had to learn the intricacies of Wolff’s positional game system, which looked more and more like a well-oiled machine during the summer days.
“We just changed a few things at the position to give us a little more balance,” Wolff said of the changes made from year one to year two. “We did specify a bit more (about) how we want to attack while being able to get second balls or score goals, but they weren’t significant changes. It was a number of things that really helped us and at the end of the day: winning matches, scoring goals, that’s what all the players will appreciate. You must prove the work. Last year, there was not enough proof. Some of this lack of quality. Some of that is just a lack of performance and we were able to correct some of those things earlier this year and it really, really took off for our guys as the season went on.”
Along the way, players found ways to get closer off the field. Cooking became a regular occurrence, with Felipe and Urruti finding another way to make themselves indispensable at their new club by manning the grill. Steaks and sausages are the main course, Fagúndez said, complemented by various side dishes and small bites.
Good vibes have been pouring in on the club’s social media platforms. Driussi, Fagúndez and Urruti started a series called “Maté Con Vos,” a talk show where the trio poke fun at South America’s main caffeinated drink.
For Wolff, that level of camaraderie doesn’t just make days a little more enjoyable — it helps improve the product on the field in a big way.
“I think it’s more evident in our country and our league — maybe with our national team — than maybe anywhere else in the world, the chemistry and the camaraderie,” Wolff said. “We are a welcoming community, a welcoming society, as Americans. It’s different going abroad. It can be cold, it can be a little cloudy, and you have to prove your worth and value when you’re walking into a European dressing room. It’s a little different, I think, in Austin. We usually bring boys pretty freely. I mean, you really have to break down in order to get out of the circle of trust, so to speak.”
Both tactically and in terms of culture-building, Driussi had plenty of praise for Wolff, who was hired by Austin before their start for his first coaching role.
“Each of us knows what we have to do and that we always have to perform at our best, which is a very good thing,” said Driussi. “He’s a great coach, he’s taking his first steps and he’s on a good path.”
The Argentine is also loving his time in Austin and has deservedly become a fan favorite. Understandably, he’s in no rush to leave – although he hopes to return to Europe one day.
“I hope so,” Driussi said. “It’s still one of my dreams. Of course Zenit was in Europe, but I would like to play in one of the five most popular leagues in Europe. I’d like to take that step, it’s a dream I have.”
The regular season couldn’t have gone much better for Driuss and Austin. Next up is the team’s postseason debut in the Q2 Stadium Friendlies (Sunday, Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. central on ESPN), pitting the hosts against Real Salt Lake. While Austin won at home against RSL in September, the latter club also famously advanced to last year’s postseason against Seattle without making a single shot. If any team can enjoy spoiling a good game, it might be Pablo Mastroeni’s side.
Perhaps the occasion will call for a special meal on Saturday. Maybe an extra cup of mate will be needed. Expansion teams historically have not fared well in their playoff debuts. Of the five teams that played postseason football and debuted in 2017 or later (Atlanta, Minnesota, Los Angeles FC, Nashville, Miami), only Nashville won its first playoff game — and that was against Miami, a game which guaranteed a devastating trend- result.
Either way, the moment won’t bother Gabrielsen. After outperforming preseason expectations, it’s safe to guess that his peers in the locker room will share a similar mindset.
“It’s not that new,” Gabrielsen said. “There is a kind of play-off in Europe. Whether it’s the Champions League, the Europa League, the World Cup or the European Cup, it’s just a playoff game. Either win or go home. This is the passion we like to have as a footballer.
“It’s the same no matter where you do it: when you lose, you go home and you’re sad and you want to start the season all over again. So we just want to win, of course.
(Feature photo: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports)
