Austin FC takes point vs. Vancouver Whitecaps to continue MLS hot streak

Austin FC’s defense shined again Saturday.

Under pressure most of the second half, the Verde & Black backline made plays when it needed to and was solid for the full 90 minutes as Austin FC took a point on the road with a 0-0 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place.

Goalkeeper Brad Stuver made seven saves and recorded his third straight shutout and the Verde & Black moved up to fifth place in the Western Conference with the result.

Here are some thoughts from the match as Austin FC (4-3-4, 16 points) has taken points in five of its last six matches and gets back into Copa Tejas play when it heads to Dallas Saturday:

Defense getting the job done

There’s nothing not to like about how the defense and Stuver have played the last month. They’ve given up one goal in four matches, and with Austin’s offense still not being great on the road, are the main reason the Green & Black have garnered five points away from Q2 Stadium.

Center backs Julio Cascante and Brendan Hines-Ike — who might be in contention for the best defensive signing of the MLS offseason making less than $500,000 — were stellar again, with left back Guilherme Biro seemingly getting better by the game.

Right back Jon Gallagher was average and at times had trouble with Vancouver forward Fafá Picault and left-side winger Ali Ahmed, but he also played his best in the game’s final 10 minutes when Austin FC needed him most.

On the road, the Green & Black defense has been excellent and only yielded three goals in five games.

In his postgame meeting with the media, Stuver said it’s the defense’s desire and effort that is most impressive.

“There’s a commitment to putting your body on the line in situations, and everyone in the box is working their butts off,” Stuver said.

Road offense still needs work

Austin FC coach Josh Wolff noted after the match the offense has to be better on the road with the ball following another rough performance statistically.

The Green & Black ended with an expected goals of 0.14, were outshot 22-4 and had less than 35% of possession, according to the final numbers from the TV broadcast.

While the result is the only thing that matters, those numbers obviously need to improve if Austin FC is going to continue to take points on the road.

A little luck never hurts

Austin FC has been the victim of some shockingly poor refereeing decisions over the last few years, but in this match it was the beneficiary of one.

Alex Ring’s foul on Picault from behind in the box late in the first half was clearly deserving of a penalty for the Whitecaps to everyone except the person it matters most: head referee Marcos de Oliveira.

After video review, it was almost comical de Oliveira didn’t rule in favor of Vancouver, but it continues a longstanding theme that MLS officiating is just plain bad.

The Whitecaps bench and fans were livid after the call, and if Wolff and the Austin FC brass didn’t believe in good karma before Saturday, they should now, as that is one back in their favor.

Man of the match: Brad Stuver

As fellow media noted in the postgame press conference, Stuver should be in strong consideration for the all-star game after 11 games. He leads the league with 58 saves and has played every single minute this season. Goalkeepers regularly peak in their early 30s, and having just turned 33, that’s what he seems to be doing.

Bottom line

Austin FC just took a point from its longest road trip of the season against a good opponent in a place it never had in three previous attempts. That’s a success no matter how you look at it.

Roughly one-third of the way through the year, the Verde & Black have 16 points, lead Copa Tejas, are mostly healthy and look as if they will be in the playoff race the entire way. Over the last six matches, Austin FC has been one of the top three teams in the MLS with 13 points, trailing only Lionel Messi-led Miami and a scorching-hot Real Salt Lake team.

The nearly year-round MLS season is the ultimate marathon, and the first few months of 2024 have to be considered good ones for Austin FC.

Sideline fashion report

On a lighter note, on Austin FC’s last trip to Vancouver, Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini took some heat in this space for his sideline fashion — or lack thereof — and this time will be no different.

Although this occasion, it may not be completely his fault, as the team-provided jacket he sported looked strikingly similar to the puffy nylon bomber jackets baseball managers wore in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

When my dad wore a similar jacket in 1988 coaching little league, it made sense.

When Sartini wears it in 2024 on an MLS sideline, it doesn’t.

Will Vancouver have him wear Zubaz pants at the next home match? (Actually, on second thought, that might be spectacular.)

There are some 1980s and early 1990s fashions worth bringing back, but this isn’t one of them.