Latest news with #AustinFC
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
USMNT grinds way by Saudi Arabia into Gold Cup knockout stage
AUSTIN, Texas — Center back Chris Richards made two sliding plays on either side of halftime — the first stopped a shot on a dangerous transition to keep the game scoreless and the second finished off an inch-perfect free kick – to lift the U.S. to a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Thursday night in the Concacaf Gold Cup. Advertisement The result sent the U.S. through to the tournament quarterfinals, though the group finale vs. Haiti on Sunday will determine if the Americans go through in first or second place in the group. Richards' finish saved the U.S. in what was otherwise a listless appearance in front of a barren home crowd at Austin FC's Q2 Stadium. The lackluster environment is only the latest instance of what seems to be a real apathy around a team that will host the World Cup in less than a year. The U.S. played in front of empty crowds at the Concacaf Nations League in Los Angeles in March. The group opener on Sunday in San Jose was not a sellout either. It is a lack of excitement caused as much by high ticket prices as the general performance of the team. On the field, Thursday's win gave the U.S. back-to-back victories for the first time since January camp. Results otherwise have left plenty to be desired. The American team has failed to excited fans or generate much enthusiasm or momentum. This Gold Cup is a chance to reverse that. But Mauricio Pochettino's side needed to get results to start to build belief that it was headed in the right direction. The one-goal win over the Saudi did provide the result, if not necessarily the style points. The U.S. tilted play through the left side and Max Arfsten in the first half, but the Columbus Crew wingback struggled to do much with his opportunities. The U.S. lost possession 60 times in the first half, per TruMedia, and Arfsten was responsible for 15 of those changeovers. Saudi Arabia, a guest nation in Concacaf's championship, had the best chances of the first stanza. Richards made a fantastic tackle in the 31s minute, sprinting back and making a last-ditch slide tackle to block Abdulrahman Al-Obood's effort and keep the game scoreless. OH MY 😳 What a tackle by Chris Richards 😤🔥@USMNT — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 20, 2025 The U.S. worked possession looking for ways to break Saudi down, but created very little of note through the first hour of the game. Then right back Alex Freeman earned a free kick when he was fouled cutting centrally with the ball in the 62nd minute. Sebastian Berhalter, the son of former U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter, who once spent a season on loan with Austin FC, stood over the free kick and served a low curling ball into the box, where Richards slid with his leg outstretched to direct the ball home. GOOOAAAL FOR THE @USMNT! 🇺🇸 Chris Richards scores off the set piece! 👏 — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 20, 2025 It was an important moment from the Crystal Palace veteran, who has been charged with being one of the leaders on this younger, inexperienced U.S. team. The U.S. will close out group play on Sunday against Haiti at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with that result, coupled with Mexico and Costa Rica's Group A finale, determining the quarterfinal matchups.
Axios
4 days ago
- Sport
- Axios
Austin FC's not-so-great half season
It's about midway through the Major League Soccer season, and Austin FC has very little to show for it. Why it matters: The ownership brought in new players over the winter as part of a high-dollar makeover, but the squad has scored just 13 goals through 18 games, second-lowest in the league. Yes, but: In MLS' generous postseason qualification scheme, if the season ended today, Austin's 6-5-7 record would currently be just good enough to get into the playoffs. The latest: The Verde and Black is coming off a 2-0 victory in last Saturday in Colorado — its first regular season MLS victory since mid-April. "I'm really, really glad and happy we won today because this win took a long time to come when it should have come in the month of May," Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez said last weekend. Neither goal came from Brandon Vázquez, their off-season striker acquisition, who's notched only four goals so far. The intrigue: Q2 Stadium hosts the 2025 MLS All-Star Game on July 23, and no Austin player is expected to be voted onto the team. Estévez is coach and can select a dozen players himself, and keeping with tradition, is likely to pick at least one of the home side's players for the squad.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Biro, Vázquez each score a goal, Austin snaps 8-game winless streak, beats Red Bulls 2-1
AUSTIN, Texas — Guilherme Biro and Brandon Vázquez each scored a goal to help Austin FC beat the New York Red Bulls 2-1 on a rain-soaked Saturday night. Austin (7-7-5),which beat Colorado 2-0 last time out, has won back-to-back games following an eight-game winless streak. Vázquez redirected a cross, played in by Osman Bukari, in the inside of his left foot from point-blank range to give Austin a 2-1 lead in the 51st minute.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Soccer team band unfurls anti-ICE banners amid nationwide protests
The MLS team Austin FC's band unfurled banners protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the team's game vs. the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Footage by KVUE News showed the team band holding banners that read "abolish ICE" and "no ICE in this melting pot." The signs coincide with a day of national protests that some have labeled "No Kings" day and ongoing riots in Los Angeles over ICE Raids. Violence in Los Angeles began as a peaceful rally that devolved into chaos, with storefronts left vandalized, American flags burned, and police officers injured. Meanwhile, Saturday's demonstrations organized to counter a planned military parade in Washington, D.C. celebrating President Donald Trump's 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army—have drawn concern from both public safety officials and ordinary Americans wary of unrest. Organizers of the "No Kings" movement insist that this weekend's events will remain peaceful. Public Citizen Co-President Lisa Gilbert told Fox News Digital that the protests are intended to be "peaceful, patriotic and focused on what regular Americans want and need." "The Trump administration is weaponizing our military domestically as a political tool. They are escalating tensions rather than resolving them, and our events will not play into their need for more chaos," she said. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Austin snaps 8-game winless streak, beats Red Bulls 2-1
Guilherme Biro and Brandon Vázquez each scored a goal to help Austin FC beat the New York Red Bulls 2-1 on a rain-soaked Saturday night. Austin (7-7-5),which beat Colorado 2-0 last time out, has won back-to-back games following an eight-game winless streak. Vázquez redirected a cross, played in by Osman Bukari, in the inside of his left foot from point-blank range to give Austin a 2-1 lead in the 51st minute. Biro opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Owen Wolff's corner kick was redirected back toward him before chipped an entry pass to Biro, who went up high and headed home a finish from the edge of the 6-yard box. New York's Emil Forsberg chipped a shot from the left side into the area that was headed into the net by Vázquez for an own goal that made it 1-1 in the 23rd. New York (8-7-3) had its three-game win streak — its longest of the season — snapped and the Red Bulls are 1-6-2 on the road this season. Brad Stuver had one save for Austin. Carlos Miguel Coronel stopped two shots for the Red Bulls.
