Another Saturday, another disappointment for Austin FC fans as the team's search for its first win of the season continues. Orlando City SC managed to securely bag their first victory, putting two past the Verde & Black in a game that was as straightforward as they come. As per The Austin American Statesman, Jack Lynn's well-placed header in the first half and Nicolás Lodeiro's precision free-kick in the second secured the 2-0 scoreline for the hosts.
To say that the attack was floundering would be an understatement; the Verde & Black have surely got to start firing on all cylinders someday, right? It wasn't to be against Orlando City, though. "Everyone has to be better," Austin FC coach Josh Wolff said in a postgame press conference, as reported by The Austin American Statesman. The team's offensive woes continued unabated, and on this occasion, they were unable to muster more than an expected goals stat of 0.35 and a single shot on goal throughout the match.
Defensively, things weren't much prettier. Jon Gallagher, who usually sticks out for the right reasons, found himself caught out of position on Lynn's header – a rookie mistake from an otherwise seasoned player. Meanwhile, the midfield presence of Sebastián Driussi, playing more than 70 minutes in his second game back, showed signs that there might be hope on the horizon for the struggling Texas team. As covered by KXAN, Brendan Hines-Ike also made his first 90-minute season appearance, bringing a semblance of solidity to an otherwise porous backline.
Goalkeeper Brad Stuver emerged as a rare bright spot in an otherwise night, pulling off six saves, including a couple that could feature on any highlight reel. But a keeper's heroics can only do so much to stem the tide, and Wolff's admission in the press conference that the club is in "rebuild" mode was perhaps the most telling moment of the night. Wolff has made it clear before but now it's official: Austin FC's looking to June, when the summer transfer window might bring some reinforcements to help salvage the rest of the season. As for their next challenge, the team heads back home to face FC Dallas, as mentioned by The Statesman, looking to change their fortunes and, one can only hope, to finally chalk up a win.
Orlando City, on the other hand, will be riding the high of this win into their next home game against the New York Red Bulls, looking to build on their newfound momentum. They'll want to remind everyone why they were last season's Supporters’ Shield runners-up and surely want to get their campaign back on track. It's a long season, but for Austin FC, every minute of it seems to increasingly tick away with echoing emptiness. According to KXAN, Orlando's Mason Stajduhar savored the clean sheet in his first start of the season – a stark contrast to the Verde & Black's current form.
