Austin FC can move a step closer to clinching a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time in club history with a win at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday versus Real Salt Lake.
The Verde and Black are holding onto second place in the Western Conference, despite their current three-game losing streak, while RSL are clinging to the final playoff spot, three points above the Los Angeles Galaxy, although they have played one more match.
Match preview
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In the Texas capital, the runaway offensive train has come to a screeching halt as Austin have failed to score in back-to-back games for the first time since May, when they lost a pair of one-goal affairs versus the Los Angeles Galaxy (1-0) and RSL (2-1).
Josh Wolff has seen his side suffer consecutive 3-0 defeats to Nashville SC and the Seattle Sounders after losing only one of their first 28 league encounters this season by multiple goals.
As a unit, the Verde and Black have only been shut out of four contests in their sophomore campaign, as they are even with Los Angeles FC for the most goals scored in the Western Conference (60).
In 2022, Austin have been chasing the Black and Gold for first in the West for most of the year, and they are running out of time to try and catch them, currently nine points behind them in the table.
All they need is four more points to punch their ticket into the postseason, and they will be challenged for second in the Conference, leading Dallas by a mere two points heading into this match, but having played one fewer game than the Toros.
Historically this will be the fourth meeting between themselves and Salt Lake, with the home side winning each time, as Austin got a pair of goals from former winger Cecilio Dominguez in a 2-1 win last season.
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Real Salt Lake missed an opportunity to claim three valuable points over the weekend, going goalless for a second successive domestic encounter, failing to score against the worst team in MLS (DC United).
Pablo Mastroeni expressed frustration following their 0-0 result versus DC, calling it a match they had to win but still praising his side's transition play, while also saying their final touches were disappointing.
Claret and Cobalt have failed to tally in nine regular-season contests this year, the most for them in an MLS campaign since 2017 when they were shut out on 10 occasions.
RSL have points in three of their last four domestic affairs away from home, coming back from a losing position twice to draw the San Jose Earthquakes (2-2) and answering an early Dallas goal last month with an equaliser in the final 21 minutes.
The Galaxy and Seattle Sounders are right on their tail in the Western Conference playoff battle, as only four points currently separate ninth place from seventh.
Winning their final four encounters of the regular season is the only thing at this stage that would guarantee them a postseason berth, and if they were to do so, it would also eclipse their win total from 2021, when they captured 14 victories.
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Team News
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Austin striker Sebastian Driussi is goalless in two consecutive fixtures, as he trails Hany Mukhtar by two goals in the MLS Golden Boot race, while Diego Fagundez, who leads them in assists this season (10), set up the winning goal in their previous home fixture versus Salt Lake, and Brad Stuver only had to make two saves to earn that victory last season.
Emiliano Rigoni began on the bench once against last weekend, replacing Ethan Finlay after an hour of play, the coach's son Owen Wolff has appeared in back-to-back games as he came on for Felipe in the second half against the Sounders, while Ruben Gabrielsen found the back of the net for the first time since May 18, but unfortunately, it was for the wrong team as his own-goal on Saturday put Seattle up 3-0.
Driussi was on the bench for Austin last weekend after previously suffering from a right knee injury, though he came on for Maximiliano Urruti to play the final six minutes plus stoppage time, while Moussa Djitte missed that match through suspension.
Zac MacMath collected his 10th shutout of the regular season for Claret and Cobalt, stopping all three DC United efforts, while Andrew Brody and Maikel Chang each scored when these two teams met at Rio Tinto Stadium earlier this year as the home side triumphed 2-1.
Sergio Cordova leads them with eight tallies domestically in 2022, two more than Jefferson Savarino, while Justin Meram is first for RSL in assists with six.
Bobby Wood remains sidelined with an adductor strain, Damir Kreilach still has a back injury and Danny Musovski became the 12th RSL player to make his debut this season entering in place of Meram with fewer than 15 minutes remaining on Saturday.
Austin FC possible starting lineup:
Stuver; Gallagher, Gabrielsen, Romana, Lima; Pereira, Ring; Fagundez, Valencia, Finlay; Urruti
Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:
MacMath; Herrera, Glad, Silva, Brody; Chang, Caldwell, Ruiz, Meram; Cordova, Savarino
We say: Austin FC 2-1 Real Salt Lake
The Verde and Black are especially deadly on their home field, scoring 18 goals in their last five matches played at Q2 Stadium.
Regardless of how healthy Driussi is, we expect their backline will not be too troubled by an RSL attack who are not nearly as potent or dynamic as Austin.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
