2023 Austin FC season
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 | This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. (October 2023) |
| 2023 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Chairman | Anthony Precourt | ||
| Head coach | Josh Wolff | ||
| Stadium | Q2 Stadium | ||
| MLS | Western Conference: 12th MLS: 25th | ||
| MLS Cup Playoffs | Did not qualify | ||
| U.S. Open Cup | Round of 16 | ||
| CONCACAF Champions League | Round of 16 | ||
| Leagues Cup | Group stage | ||
| Copa Tejas | Champions | ||
| Copa Tejas Shield | 7th | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Sebastián Driussi (11) & All: Sebastián Driussi (13) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 20,738[1] | ||
| Biggest win | 4 matches by 3 goals (MLS) ATX 2–0 VIO (3/15) (CCL) ATX 2–0 NM (5/10) (USOC) | ||
| Biggest defeat | 3 matches by 3 goals (MLS) VIO 3–0 ATX (3/7) (CCL) ATX 0–2 CHI (5/24) (USOC) ATX 1–3 MZT (7/21) (LC) ATX 1–3 FCJ (7/29) (LC) | ||
| | |||
| All statistics correct as of October 22, 2023. | |||
The 2023 Austin FC season was the club's third season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of soccer in the United States. They played in the league's Western Conference and finished as Western runners-up to Los Angeles FC in the 2022 regular season standings.
Austin participated in two new competitions in 2023, their first regional competition (the 2023 Leagues Cup) and continental competitions (the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League), but did not advance in either competition.
Background[edit]
Austin FC started playing in the MLS Western Conference in 2021, finishing in 12th place with a record of 9W-4D-21L.[2] 2022 brought many new experiences to Austin FC. They lost their first ever U.S. Open Cup match against San Antonio FC in extra time,[3] won their first trophy, the Copa Tejas, and qualified for their first-ever MLS Cup Playoffs in just their second season as a franchise.[4] Austin FC advanced to the Western Conference Finals but lost to LAFC. They qualified for the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League as a result of their success in 2022.[5]
Summary[edit]
Pre-season[edit]
Immediately following the 2022 season, Austin FC started their preparation for the 2023 MLS Season. On November 7, 2022, Austin FC announced multiple roster decision influencing the 2023 season. Jared Stroud was traded to St. Louis City SC,[6] Hector Jiménez's contract is being allowed to expire, Washington Corozo's transfer option was not exercised, and options were declined on Danny Hoesen, Felipe Martins, Freddy Kleemann, Andrew Tarbell, and Will Pulisic.[7]
Austin FC continued shaping their 2023 team during the 2022 MLS Re-Entry Draft, when they traded with DC United for the first selection in that draft for $50,000 general allocation money. With the first selection Austin FC chose midfielder Sofiane Djeffal from DC United.[8] On the same day, Austin FC announced that they selected Forward Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez from the End-of-Year Waiver list from the Seattle Sounders FC, where he had spent time with the MLS Next Pro club Tacoma Defiance.[9] On November 29, 2022, Austin FC and Ocampo-Chavez came to terms on a one-year guarantee through the 2023 season, with a two-year team option through 2025.[10]
In December Austin FC continued to work on their 2023 roster announcing on December 8, 2022, they had resigned Hector Jiménez [11] and announced on December 12, 2022, that hey had acquired Gyasi Zardes through free agency.[12] The 2023 MLS SuperDraft was held on December 21, 2022, and Austin FC picked up CJ Fodrey (GA)[13] and Valentin Noël[14] in the first round, Jackson Walti in the second round, and Salvatore Mazzaferro in the third round.
Austin FC started the new year by strengthening their goalkeeping corps, adding Matt Bersano from the free agent list.[15] Austin FC strengthened their defensive unit on January 4, 2023, by acquiring Leo Väisänen from IF Elfsborg.[16] One day after signing Väisänen, Austin FC announced that Ruben Gabrielsen will be leaving the team after just one year and moving to Lillestrøm SK[17] Continuing to shape the team for 2023 season, Austin FC announced on January 6, 2023, that they had come to an agreement to transfer Tomás Pochettino to Brazilian side Fortaleza Esporte Clube.[18] Adding more depth to their defensive formation, Austin FC announced on January 10, 2023, they had signed Adam Lundqvist from their cross-state rival Houston Dynamo for $500,000 GAM over the 2023–2024 seasons.[19] Looking to build their defense for the longest MLS season to date, Austin FC announced they had signed Amro Tarek as a free agent on January 27, 2023.[20] On January 31, 2023, Austin FC announced Moussa Djitté had been loaned to AC Ajaccio on a short-term loan through the end of the Ligue 1 season, with an option to purchase at the end of the season.[21] After a trial period for a Veteran striker, Austin FC announced on February 10, 2023, that they had signed Will Bruin to a one-year contract, with an option for a second year.[22] The club extended Sebastian Driussi for three years with a fourth-year option on February 14 and named him the next captain.[23] Days before the first match of the season Austin FC extended Diego Fagúndez for three years with a fourth year option, finalizing preseason moves for the team[24]
Slow start and early Champions League exit - February / March / April[edit]
Austin FC started the 2023 season with a 3–2 loss to St. Louis City SC in the latter's inaugural match. Julio Cascante was subbed off in the 11th minute after suffering an adductor strain injury that sidelined him for more than two months. Austin quickly rebounded with a 1–0 win over CF Montreal where Maximiliano Urruti scored the game-winner the 88th minute. After the first leg against Violette, the Verde and Black returned to MLS competition against RSL where Owen Wolff scored his first professional goal and the match-winner in the 33rd minute in a 2–1 victory. Austin then suffered their first road loss of the season in a 2–0 defeat to their cross-state rivals, the Houston Dynamo. Ending the month of March with a 1–1 draw against the Colorado Rapids, Austin FC sat in the middle of the table for both the western conference and Supporters Shield standings heading into the second month of the season.[25] At this point, Jon Gallagher led the team with 3 goals, while prized striker Sebastian Driussi had 1 goal in the opening match against St. Louis while Diego Fagundez, Emiliano Rigoni, Gyasi Zardes, Ethan Finlay, and Will Bruin hadn't scored in the first 5 league matches for the club. On March 22, the club announced Aleksandar Radovanović was signed on a short-term loan from K.V. Kortrijk through June 30, 2023, with an option to buy, which the club later declined.[26]
After a two-week break, Austin FC continued the season on the road against LAFC and lost 3–0 on the back of a hat-trick by Denis Bouanga in the first Western Conference Final rematch.[27] Adding to the backline's struggles, Austin suffered another blow to the defense; on April 13, the team announced Žan Kolmanič injured his ACL during training and had season-ending surgery.[28] Austin continued to struggle offensively in a home fixture against Vancouver, where they lost Fagundez for a month to a groin injury in a 0–0 draw, and then lost to the LA Galaxy 2–0 the following week.[29][30] El Tree ended the month with a 2–2 comeback draw at home against the San Jose Earthquakes. Rigoni scored his first goal for the club in the 40th minute, and Driussi scored for the first time since the opening match to equalize in the 78th minute.[31]
CONCACAF Champions League[edit]
Outside of league play, Austin FC travelled to the Dominican Republic to take on the Haitian side Violette AC for their first ever continental match in the CONCACAF Champions League, which they lost 3–0 on March 7. Miche-Naider Chéry notched a first half brace for Violette, beating Amro Tarek on two headers. Tarek then had an own-goal early in the second half to ruin any chance of an Austin comeback. A week later, after beating RSL in league play, Austin FC faced Violette in the return fixture at Q2 Stadium. Despite taking 35 shots and a brace from Driussi, Austin FC fell in the series on an aggregate score of 3–2. Their 2023 CONCACAF Champions League run came to a premature end in what was arguably the biggest upset in the history of the competition; because of the political unrest in Haiti, Violette hadn't played a competitive match in 289 days before the first leg.
Condensed schedule and first U.S. Open Cup run - May / June[edit]
Austin FC earned their second straight 2–2 comeback draw, but this time against the Portland Timbers on May 6. Jon Gallagher scored his 4th goal of the season to lead all MLS defenders on a cross from Emiliano Rigoni. Will Bruin was later subbed into the game and the former Sounder could not have scored his first goal with the Verde and Black in a more timely fashion, tying the match with Austin's latest away goal in their short history in the second minute of stoppage time on a cross from Owen Wolff.[32] However, before the Portland match, Driussi suffered a groin injury of his own and would also miss a month. After the Portland match, Wolff was called up to the U-20 team for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina and would spend up to a month away from the club.[33] The following week, Rodney Redes was sent off for earning two yellow cards against FC Dallas, and Jesus Ferreira scored the match-winner in the 89th minute, to defeat the short-handed Austin FC 1–0.[34] In a midweek game and with a depleted roster, Austin FC won their first league competition in two months, defeating Seattle Sounders FC 2–1 at Lumen Field on goals from Ethan Finlay and Gyasi Zardes, both their firsts of the campaign.[35] Zardes scored another game-winner four days later helping beat Toronto FC 1–0.[36] A week later, Zardes scored for the third consecutive match and became the 13th player in MLS history to score 100 goals.[37] However, the milestone was not enough for Austin as they conceded two goals and lost to the Dynamo 2–1 in their first Copa Tejas match of the season.[38] Four days later on May 31 against Minnesota United FC, Driussi returned to action for the first time in a month and scored the match-winner in the 82nd minute. The Loons thought they had the equalizer in the 87th minute, but VAR ruled that Hassani Dotson was offside. Brad Stuver then shut the door on Minnesota, making three saves in stoppage time.[39]
Continuing their up and down season, Austin FC returned to Q2 on June 3, losing 2–1 to Real Salt Lake on a brace by Rubio Rubin.[40] Injuries continued to plague the 2023 season, as Alexander Ring was pulled from a starting line up, forcing Aleksandar Radovanović to step in despite playing with a shoulder injury. Last minute changes by Peter Vermes and a strong performance by Sporting Kansas City resulted in a 4–1 loss dropping Austin out of the playoff picture.[41] After a much-needed rest period, a rejuvenated Austin FC finished June with back-to-back 3-0 Copa Tejas wins at Q2 over four days. Ethan Finlay and Gyasi Zardes scored goals in both matches while Diego Fagundez and Julio Cascante scored their first goals of the season against FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo, respectively. The wins gave Austin the lead in the Copa Tejas standings and an opportunity to defend the trophy with a win in Frisco in late August.[42][43]
Due to the mounting injuries, David Rodríguez became the first Austin FC II player to sign a short-term agreement with the club on May 17 but did not appear in a match.[44] In the U-20 World Cup, Owen Wolff had a match-winning assist in the group stage against Ecuador and scored a goal in the Round of 16 against New Zealand, but the Stars and Stripes lost in the Quarterfinals against Uruguay. On June 2, Daniel Pereira was called up to the Venezuela national team for the first time.[45] On June 27, Jon Gallagher was announced as an MLS All-Star.[46]
On June 30, Austin FC named Rodolfo Borrell as their new Sporting Director, replacing Claudio Reyna. Borrell was most recently Pep Guardiola's first assistant at Manchester City, and the club won 15 trophies in the 9 years he was affiliated there.[47]
U.S. Open Cup[edit]
Austin FC entered the U.S. Open Cup in the Round of 32 and were drawn against USL team New Mexico United for a home match on May 10 where they accomplished another milestone for the club, winning their first U.S. Open Cup match 2–0. Redes tallied his first goal with the club to open the scoring in the 24th minute and Maxi Urruti added another, with Rigoni contributing to both goals.[48] However, the Verde and Black lost in the Round of 16 against the Chicago Fire 2–0, ending their U.S. Open Cup run. Making matters worse, Leo Väisänen tore his LCL in the Chicago match and was expected to miss at least two months.[49]
First Leagues Cup - July / August[edit]
Austin FC started their three-game road trip in South Florida playing Inter Miami CF to a 1–1 tie when Nick Lima scored his first goal for the club,[50] then beat Minnesota United FC 4-1 where Driussi scored a brace, added an assist, and by doing so became the first Austin FC player to make 50 goal contributions. They weren't able to sweep the road trip, losing 2–1 in Vancouver. They also lost Emiliano Rigoni to an MCL injury. El Tree won their last match before the Leagues Cup break with a 2–1 win against Sporting Kansas City, but lost Daniel Pereira and Driussi in the match to shoulder and groin injuries, respectively. The victory against Kansas City was the first time in franchise history Austin FC won three consecutive home matches, and they sit 5th in the West heading into the break.
On July 24, Austin FC traded for CB and former FC Dallas captain Matt Hedges for $475,000 GAM in 2023 and more in 2024 to Toronto FC, if his options are exercised.[51] Hedges appeared in more games than any FC Dallas player with 349 caps from 2012 to 2022. On August 1, Austin FC traded their first-ever goal scorer Diego Fagundez to the LA Galaxy for Memo Rodríguez and at least $300,000 GAM.[52]
Austin returned to action after a three-week break and lost on the road to St. Louis City SC 6–3, getting three second half goals from Driussi, Will Bruin, and Rigoni. The 6 goals allowed set a franchise record for most goals allowed in a single match.[53] In their final Copa Tejas match of the season, Austin FC failed to secure the trophy by losing to FC Dallas 1–0 on a last minute headed goal from Nkosi Tafari.[54] To end the month of August, Austin lost their fifth game in a row in all competition and earned zero points after returning from Leagues Cup competition, losing to the Seattle Sounders FC 2–1. In the Sounders match, Driussi became the first Austin FC player to score 40 goals for the club.[55]
Leagues Cup[edit]
Austin FC played their first Leagues Cup matches against Mazatlán on July 21 and Juárez on July 29 at Q2 Stadium. Going into the Leagues Cup break, Mazatlán sat at 15th in the Liga MX table with a draw and two losses after a last place finish in 2023. Juárez currently sits in 3rd with a draw and two impressive comeback wins over América and Toluca.
The Verde and Black lost 3–1 against Mazatlán snapping their home winning streak. Diego Fagundez scored his last goal for the club, a penalty to tie the match in the 65th minute, but Andrés Montaño scored for Mazatlán 30 seconds after the restart. Minutes later, Bruin thought he had the tying goal for Austin before being ruled offside, then Eduard Bello tacked on the third and final goal for Mazatlán in the 88th minute after VAR ruled he was onside.[56] Mazatlán then won the group after defeating Juárez in penalties on July 25, leaving Austin in a position where they can only advance as the group runner-up by beating Juárez outright.[57] Austin was unable to maintain an early lead after allowing Juárez to level it up 12 minutes later on a free kick by Sebastian Saucedo from outside the box. Coming out of the half-time break, Juárez's tactical adjustments allowed them to put two more goals on the board in the 62nd and 69th minutes, both scored by Aitor García, eliminating Austin FC from the 2023 Leagues Cup tournament.[58]
End of the season - September / October[edit]
Austin started September by earning an away point, drawing with New England 2–2. Alex Ring evened the score with an extra-time goal, adding to Rigoni's first half goal.[59] During the second outing of the month, Austin fell to Portland 2–1 at home.[60] Three days later Austin earned a point on the road, drawing with the New York Red Bulls 1–1 on the 10th goal of the season by Sebastián Driussi.[61] On September 30, FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo played to a draw, winning Austin FC its second consecutive Copa Tejas, becoming the first MLS club to win it twice. But as the final whistle blew in Houston, the Verde and Black were losing 1–0 to the Colorado Rapids and that score held, so the club extended their winless streak to a franchise-record 10 games.[62]
Austin FC kept their playoff hopes alive with a strong home performance against D.C. United, winning the match 3–0 on goals from Will Bruin, Sebastián Driussi, and Matt Hedges,[63] but lost 4–2 to LAFC three days later to be eliminated from playoff contention. Leo Väisänen scored his first goal for the club late in the second half, while Denis Bouanga scored 2 goals for LAFC to take the Golden Boot lead with his 18th and 19th goals of the season.[64] Austin FC ended their 2023 campaign on the road in San Jose with a 1–1 draw. Austin season record was 10 wins, 15 loses, and 9 draws, for a total of 39 points.[65]
Management team[edit]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Anthony Precourt |
| Sporting Director |  Rodolfo Borrell[47] |
| Vice President, Player Personnel | Sean Rubio[47] |
| Head coach | Josh Wolff |
| Assistant coach | Davy Arnaud |
| Assistant coach |  Rodrigo Rios |
| Assistant coach | Terry Boss[66] |
| Assistant coach | Preston Burpo |
| Chief Scout | Manuel Junco |
Roster[edit]
As of October 7, 2023[update].[67]
| No. | Name | Nationality | Position(s) | Date of birth (age) | Signed in | Previous club | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | ||||||||
| 1 | Brad Stuver | | GK | April 16, 1991 | 2020 | New York City FC | 40 | 0 |
| 12 | Damian Las (HG) | | GK | April 11, 2002 | 2022 |  Fulham F.C. | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Matt Bersano | | GK | September 10, 1992 | 2023 | San Jose Earthquakes | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders | ||||||||
| 2 | Matt Hedges | | CB | April 1, 1990 | 2023 |  Toronto FC | 7 | 1 |
| 4 | Kipp Keller (GA) | | CB | July 14, 2000 | 2022 | Saint Louis University | 10 | 0 |
| 15 | Leo Väisänen |  | CB | July 23, 1997 | 2023 |  IF Elfsborg | 24 | 1 |
| 16 | Hector Jiménez | | RB | November 3, 1988 | 2020 | Columbus Crew SC | 5 | 0 |
| 17 | Jon Gallagher |  | LB/RB | February 23, 1996 | 2020 | Atlanta United FC | 39 | 5 |
| 18 | Julio Cascante |  | CB | October 3, 1993 | 2020 | Portland Timbers | 28 | 2 |
| 21 | Adam Lundqvist | | LB | March 20, 1994 | 2023 | Houston Dynamo FC | 26 | 0 |
| 23 | Žan Kolmanič[a] (U22) [b] |  | LB | March 3, 2000 | 2021 | Maribor | 7 | 0 |
| 24 | Nick Lima | | RB | November 17, 1994 | 2020 | San Jose Earthquakes | 39 | 1 |
| 26 | Charlie Asensio | | RB | January 18, 2000 | 2022 | Clemson Tigers | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Brandan Craig | | DF | April 7, 2004 | 2023 | Philadelphia Union | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Hafferty [c] | | DF | March 21, 1998 | 2023 | Austin FC II | 0 | 0 | |
| Midfielders | ||||||||
| 5 | Jhojan Valencia |  | MF | July 27, 1996 | 2022 | Deportivo Cali | 31 | 0 |
| 6 | Daniel Pereira (GA) |  | MF | July 14, 2000 | 2021 | Virginia Tech Hokies | 36 | 0 |
| 7 | Emiliano Rigoni (DP) |  | RW | February 4, 1993 | 2022 |  São Paulo FC | 37 | 5 |
| 8 | Alexander Ring (DP) | | MF | April 9, 1991 | 2020 | New York City FC | 31 | 2 |
| 10 | Sebastián Driussi (DP) (captain) | | MF | February 9, 1996 | 2021 |  Zenit Saint Petersburg | 30 | 13 |
| 13 | Ethan Finlay | | RW | August 6, 1990 | 2021 | Minnesota United FC | 40 | 6 |
| 19 | CJ Fodrey (GA) | | MF | February 10, 2004 | 2023 | San Diego State | 4 | 0 |
| 22 | Sofiane Djeffal |  | MF | April 19, 1999 | 2023 | DC United | 10 | 0 |
| 30 | Memo Rodríguez (HG) | | MF | December 27, 1995 | 2023 | LA Galaxy | 9 | 0 |
| 31 | Valentin Noël | | MF | April 27, 1999 | 2023 | Austin FC II | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | David Rodríguez[c] | | MF | May 5, 2002 | 2023 | Austin FC II | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Owen Wolff (HG) | | MF | December 30, 2004 | 2020 | Austin FC Academy | 31 | 2 |
| Forward | ||||||||
| 9 | Gyasi Zardes | | FW | September 2, 1991 | 2023 | Colorado Rapids | 31 | 6 |
| 11 | Rodney Redes (U22) [b] |  | FW | February 22, 2000 | 2020 | Guaraní | 6 | 2 |
| 28 | Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez (HG) | | FW | March 25, 2002 | 2023 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Will Bruin | | FW | October 24, 1989 | 2023 | Seattle Sounders FC | 22 | 3 |
| 37 | Maximiliano Urruti | | FW | February 2, 1991 | 2021 | Houston Dynamo FC | 28 | 2 |
- ^ Season ending injury
- ^ a b https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-launches-u22-initiative-to-support-further-investment-in-young-players
- ^ a b Short term agreement from Austin FC II
Transfers[edit]
In[edit]
| Date | Position | No. | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 17, 2022 | MF | 22 | Sofiane Djeffal | DC United | $50,000 GAM | [8] |
| November 17, 2022 | FW | 28 | Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez | Seattle Sounders FC | Free | [9][10] |
| December 8, 2022 | DF | 16 | Hector Jiménez | Austin FC | Free | [11] |
| December 12, 2022 | FW | 9 | Gyasi Zardes | Colorado Rapids | Free | [12] |
| January 3, 2023 | GK | 20 | Matt Bersano | San Jose Earthquakes | Free | [15] |
| January 4, 2023 | DF | 15 | Leo Väisänen | IF Elfsborg | $1,800,000 | [16][68] |
| January 10, 2023 | DF | 21 | Adam Lundqvist | Houston Dynamo FC | $500,000 GAM | [19] |
| January 27, 2023 | DF | 31 |  Amro Tarek | Al Masry SC | Free | [20] |
| February 10, 2023 | FW | 29 | Will Bruin | Seattle Sounders FC | Free | [22] |
| July 26, 2023 | DF | 2 | Matt Hedges | Toronto FC | $475,000 GAM | [51] |
| August 1, 2023 | MF | Memo Rodríguez | LA Galaxy | Trade Diego Fagúndez + receive $900,000 GAM | [69] |
Loan in[edit]
| No. | Pos. | Player | Loaned from | Start | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | DF |  Aleksandar Radovanović |  Kortrijk | March 22, 2023 | June 30, 2023 | [26] |
| 32 | MF | David Rodríguez | Austin FC II | May 17, 2023 | May 21, 2023 | [70] |
| 27 | DF | Brandan Craig | Philadelphia Union | July 5, 2023 | December 31, 2023 | [71] |
| 31 | MF | Valentin Noël | Austin FC II | July 21, 2023 | July 29, 2023 | [72] |
| DF | Joe Hafferty | Austin FC II | September 20, 2023 | September 24, 2023 | [73] |
Out[edit]
| Date | Position | No. | Name | To | Type | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 7, 2022 | MF | 20 | Jared Stroud | St. Louis City SC | Transfer | $100,000 GAM | [6] |
| November 7, 2022 | DF | 16 | Hector Jiménez | Austin FC | Out of Contract | [7] | |
| November 7, 2022 | FW | 9 |  Danny Hoesen | FC Emmen | Option Declined | [7] | |
| November 7, 2022 | DF | 19 | Freddy Kleemann | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Option Declined | [7][74] | |
| November 7, 2022 | MF | 22 | Felipe Martins | Orlando City SC | Option Declined | [7][75] | |
| November 7, 2022 | GK | 31 | Andrew Tarbell | Houston Dynamo FC | Option Declined | [7][76] | |
| November 7, 2022 | GK | 34 | Will Pulisic | Minnesota United FC 2 | Option Declined | [7] | |
| November 7, 2022 | FW | 32 |  Washington Corozo |  Sporting Cristal | Option to Buy Declined | [7] | |
| January 5, 2023 | DF | 4 |  Ruben Gabrielsen | Lillestrøm SK | Transfer | [17] | |
| January 6, 2023 | MF | Tomás Pochettino | Fortaleza Esporte Clube | Transfer | [18] | ||
| July 26, 2023 | DF | 3 | Amro Tarek | Buyout | [77] | ||
| August 1, 2023 | MF | 14 |  Diego Fagúndez | LA Galaxy | Trade + Receive GAM | [69] |
Loan out[edit]
| No. | Pos. | Player | Loaned to | Start | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | FW |  Moussa Djitté | AC Ajaccio | January 31, 2023 | June 30, 2023 | [21] |
| 3 | DF | Jhohan Romaña | Club Olimpia | February 17, 2023 | December 31, 2023 | [78] |
| 2 | FW | Moussa Djitté |  Bandırmaspor | July 3, 2023 | June 30, 2024 | [79] |
MLS SuperDraft picks[edit]
| 2023 Austin FC SuperDraft Picks | ||||||
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | CJ Fodrey | MF | San Diego State | Generation Adidas Acquired from Houston Dynamo for $50,000 GAM in 2023 and 2024 and the 27th overall pick Houston Dynamo acquired it from Vancouver Whitecaps FC for $225,000 GAM and the 5th overall pick Previous Experience with San Diego Loyal | [13][80] |
| 1 | 20 | Valentin Noël | MF | Pittsburgh | Pick acquired from St. Louis City SC for GAM St. Louis City SC acquired from Charlotte FC via trade Charlotte FC acquired from Nashville SC for International Roster spot and $400,000 GAM Signed by Austin FC II on March 3, 2023 | [14][81] |
| 2 | 27 (56) | Jackson Walti | MF | Pittsburgh | Signed by Austin FC II on March 3, 2023 Traded to Colorado Rapids 2 on July 28, 2023 | [80][81][82] |
| 3 | 14 (72) | Salvatore Mazzaferro | DF | South Florida | Pick acquired from Columbus Crew SC via trade Previous experience with Toronto FC II Signed by Austin FC II on March 3, 2023 | [83][81] |
New contracts[edit]
| Date | Pos. | No. | Player | Contract until | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 10, 2022 | DF | 17 | Jon Gallagher | 2026 + 1yr option | [84] |
| November 11, 2022 | GK | 1 | Brad Stuver | 2025 + 1yr option | [85] |
| December 8, 2022 | DF | 16 | Hector Jiménez | 2023 | [86] |
| February 14, 2023 | MF | 10 | Sebastián Driussi | 2025 + 1yr option | [87] |
| February 22, 2023 | MF | 14 | Diego Fagúndez | 2025 + 1yr option | [88] |
| April 11, 2023 | DF | 18 | Julio Cascante | 2025 + 1yr option | [89] |
Non-competitive fixtures[edit]
Preseason[edit]
| January 21, 2023 | Austin FC | 2–3 | Philadelphia Union | Bradenton, FL |
| 11:00 am CT | Cascante  27'Noël 54' | Report | Bedoya 45+4' Bueno 67'Donovan 80' | Stadium: IMG Academy |
| January 27, 2022 | Austin FC | 2–3 | FC Cincinnati | Clearwater, FL |
| 1:00 pm CT | Rodríguez 11' Zardes 83' | Report | Hagglund 20' Brenner 31'Badji 91' | Stadium: Walter Campbell Sports Park |
| Note: Played in four 30-minute periods for a total of 120 minutes. | ||||
| February 4, 2023 | Austin FC | 5–0 | El Paso Locomotive FC | Austin, Texas |
| 1:00 pm CT | Driussi 15' Wolff 33'Rodríguez 70'Finlay 72'Urruti 110' | Report | Stadium: St. David's Performance Center | |
| Note: Played as two 45-minute halves and a 30-minute extra period | ||||
| February 11, 2023 | Austin FC | 4–1 | Louisville City FC | Austin, Texas |
| 11:00 am CT | Zardes 17' Driussi 24'Fagúndez 51'Ring 94' | Report | 64' | Stadium: St. David's Performance Center |
| Note: Played as two 45-minute halves and a 30-minute extra period | ||||
| February 15, 2023 | Austin FC | 1–1 | Sacramento Republic FC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 pm CT |
| Report | 32' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium |
| February 18, 2023 | Inter Miami CF | 2–2 | Austin FC | Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| 3:00 pm CT | Report | Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium |
Competitive fixtures[edit]
Overall record[edit]
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| MLS Regular Season | February 25, 2023 | October 21, 2023 | Matchday 1 | 12th Western Conference, 25th Overall | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 49 | 55 | −6 | 29.41 |
| CONCACAF Champions League | March 7, 2023 | March 14, 2023 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 50.00 |
| U.S. Open Cup | May 10, 2023 | May 24, 2023 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | +0 | 50.00 |
| Leagues Cup | July 21, 2023 | July 29, 2023 | Group stage | Group Stage | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0.00 |
| Total | 40 | 12 | 9 | 19 | 55 | 66 | −11 | 30.00 | ||||
Last updated: September 30, 2023
Source: Soccerway
Major League Soccer Regular Season[edit]
Standings[edit]
Western Conference[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 43 |
| 11 | Minnesota United FC | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 46 | 51 | −5 | 41 |
| 12 | Austin FC | 34 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 49 | 55 | −6 | 39 |
| 13 | LA Galaxy | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 51 | 67 | −16 | 36 |
| 14 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 5 | 17 | 12 | 26 | 54 | −28 | 27 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Overall[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | D.C. United | 34 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 45 | 49 | −4 | 40 | |
| 24 | Chicago Fire FC | 34 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 40 | |
| 25 | Austin FC | 34 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 49 | 55 | −6 | 39 | |
| 26 | LA Galaxy | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 51 | 67 | −16 | 36 | |
| 27 | Inter Miami CF (L) | 34 | 9 | 18 | 7 | 41 | 54 | −13 | 34 | Qualification for the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16[a] |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
(L) Leagues Cup winner
Notes:
- ^ As 2023 Leagues Cup champion
Matches[edit]
| February 25, 2023 1 | Austin FC | 2–3 | St. Louis City SC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CST) | Driussi 45+4' Gallagher 72' | Report | Ostrák  17' Parker 24' Stroud 78' Klauss 86' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Allen Chapman |
| March 4, 2023 2 | Austin FC | 1–0 | CF Montreal | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CST) | Wolff 22' Urruti 88' | Report | Saliba 8' Piette 57' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Lukasz Szpala |
| March 11, 2023 3 | Real Salt Lake | 1–2 | Austin FC | Sandy, Utah |
| 8:30 p.m. (CST) | Glad 22' Kreilach 41' | Report | Gallagher 9' Wolff 33' | Stadium: America First Field Attendance: 20,052 Referee: Alex Chilowicz |
| March 18, 2023 4 | Houston Dynamo FC | 2–0 | Austin FC | Houston, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Franco 59' Bassi 71' (pen.)Herrera 86' | Report | Väisänen 19' Fagúndez 52'Lundqvist 70' | Stadium: Shell Energy Stadium Attendance: 19,047 Referee: Drew Fischer |
| March 25, 2023 5 | Austin FC | 1–1 | Colorado Rapids | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Gallagher 5' Ring 53'Pereira 90+6' | Report | Maxsø 47' Bassett 59'Acosta 64'Cabral 85'Priso 90+6' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Ted Unkel |
| April 8, 2023 6 | Los Angeles FC | 3–0 | Austin FC | Los Angeles, California |
| 6:30 p.m. (CDT) | Bouanga 40' (57), 68' | Report | Lima 67' | Stadium: BMO Stadium Attendance: 22,199 Referee: Victor Rivas |
| April 15, 2023 7 | Austin FC | 0–0 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Driussi 40' Lima 68' | Report | White 42' Cubas 45' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Mark Allatin |
| April 22, 2023 8 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 2–0 | Austin FC | Carson, California |
| 9:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Dignity Health Sports Park Attendance: 18,875 Referee: Chris Penso |
| April 29, 2023 9 | Austin FC | 2–2 | San Jose Earthquakes | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Rigoni 40' Driussi 78'Pereira 90+5' | Report | Yueill 21', 90+5' Monteiro 68'Ebobisse 75' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr. |
| May 6, 2023 10 | Portland Timbers | 2–2 | Austin FC | Portland, Oregon |
| 9:30 p.m. (CDT) | Župarić 33', 87' Boli 40'Bravo 56', 71' | Report | Gallagher 59' Bruin 90+2' | Stadium: Providence Park Attendance: 23,318 Referee: Jon Freemon |
| May 13, 2023 11 | Austin FC | 0–1 | FC Dallas | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Väisänen 41' Redes 46'  54'Valencia 63' | Report | Lletget 24' Pomykal 42'Ntsabeleng 83'Ferreira 89', 90' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Ismail Elfath |
| May 17, 2023 12 | Seattle Sounders FC | 1–2 | Austin FC | Seattle, Washington |
| 9:30 p.m. (CDT) | Montero 79' | Report | Finlay 36' Zardes 57'Pereira 74'Bruin 90+1' | Stadium: Lumen Field Attendance: 30,026 Referee: Rosendo Mendoza |
| May 20, 2023 13 | Austin FC | 1–0 | Toronto FC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Pereira 28' Finlay 37'Ring 75'Djeffal 79'Zardes 90+1' | Report | Servania 35' Franklin 54'Kaye 71' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Ismir Pekmic |
| May 27, 2022 14 Copa Tejas | Houston Dynamo FC | 2–1 | Austin FC | Houston, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Herrera 37' Quiñónes 67' Franco 87' Micael 90+3' | Report | Zardes 22' Cascante 30' | Stadium: Shell Energy Stadium Attendance: 16,055 Referee: Ted Unkel |
| May 31, 2023 15 | Austin FC | 2–1 | Minnesota United FC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Gallagher 19', 90' Driussi 82' | Report | Rosales 26' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Fotis Bazakos |
| June 3, 2023 16 | Austin FC | 1–2 | Real Salt Lake | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Rigoni 43' Urruti 62' Gallagher 64' Cascante 90+2' | Report | Hidalgo 7' Rubín 15', 81' Glad 34' Löffelsend 66' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Tori Penso |
| June 10, 2023 17 | Sporting Kansas City | 4–1 | Austin FC | Kansas City, Kansas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) |
| Report | Stadium: Children's Mercy Park Attendance: 18,885 Referee: Marcos de Oliveira |
| June 21, 2023 18 Copa Tejas | Austin FC | 3–0 | FC Dallas | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report |
| Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Rosendo Mendoza |
| June 24, 2023 19 Copa Tejas | Austin FC | 3–0 | Houston Dynamo FC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report |
| Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Victor Rivas |
| July 1, 2023 20 | Inter Miami CF | 1–1 | Austin FC | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| 6:30 p.m. (CDT) | Taylor 45+2' Martínez 47'Ruiz 54'Fray 67'Allen 72'Campana 90+9' | Report | Lima 51', 90+9' | Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium Attendance: 17,053 Referee: Filip Dujic |
| July 8, 2023 21 | Minnesota United FC | 1–4 | Austin FC | St. Paul, Minnesota |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Dotson 54' Padelford 85' | Report | Fagúndez 35' Driussi 45', 51'Pereira 81'Rigoni 90+5' | Stadium: Allianz Field Attendance: 19,913 Referee: Alex Chilowicz |
| July 12, 2023 22 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2–1 | Austin FC | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| 9:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: BC Place Attendance: 14,995 Referee: Nima Saghafi |
| July 15, 2023 23 | Austin FC | 2–1 | Sporting Kansas City | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Zardes 17' Finlay 19'Cascante 59' | Report | Fontàs 8' Rosero 33'Davis 53' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Ted Unkel |
| August 20, 2023 24 | St. Louis City SC | 6–3 | Austin FC | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 8:30 p.m. (CDT) |
| Report | Stadium: Citypark Attendance: 22,423 Referee: Timothy Ford |
| August 26, 2023 25 Copa Tejas | FC Dallas | 1–0 | Austin FC | Frisco, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) |
| Report | Pereira 45' 67' | Stadium: Toyota Stadium Attendance: 18,267 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez |
| August 30, 2023 26 | Austin FC | 1–2 | Seattle Sounders FC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Drew Fischer |
| September 2, 2023 27 | New England Revolution | 2–2 | Austin FC | Foxborough, Massachusetts |
| 6:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Gillette Stadium Attendance: 26,213 Referee: Marcos de Oliveira |
| September 17, 2023 28 | Austin FC | 1–2 | Portland Timbers | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Armando Villarreal |
| September 20, 2023 29 | New York Red Bulls | 1–1 | Austin FC | Harrison, New Jersey |
| 6:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Red Bull Arena Attendance: 13,562 Referee: Nima Saghafi |
| September 24, 2023 30 | Austin FC | 3–3 | LA Galaxy | Austin, Texas |
| 11:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Ted Unkel | ||
| Note: Match delayed from 7:30 p.m. due to weather conditions | ||||
| September 30, 2023 31 | Colorado Rapids | 1–0 | Austin FC | Commerce City, Colorado |
| 8:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park Attendance: 15,931 Referee: Mark Allatin |
| October 4, 2023 32 | Austin FC | 3–0 | D.C. United | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report |
| Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Jair Marrufo |
| October 7, 2023 33 | Austin FC | 2–4 | Los Angeles FC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Jon Freemon |
| October 21, 2023 34 Decision Day | San Jose Earthquakes | 1–1 | Austin FC | San Jose, California |
| 8:00 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: PayPal Park Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Rosendo Mendoza |
MLS Playoffs[edit]
CONCACAF Champions League[edit]
| March 7, 2023 Round of 16 | Violette AC  | 3–0 | Austin FC | Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic |
| 5:00 p.m. (CST) | Report | Stadium: Estadio Cibao FC Referee: Selvin Brown (Honduras) |
| March 14, 2023 Round of 16 | Austin FC | 2–0 (2–3 agg.) | Violette AC | Austin, Texas |
| 7:00 p.m. (CDT) | Driussi 51', 63' | Report | Fédé 14' Germain 87'San Millán 90+1' | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Oshane Nation |
| Note: Violette advance 3–2 on aggregate. | ||||
U.S. Open Cup[edit]
| May 10, 2023 Round of 32 | Austin FC  | 2–0 |  New Mexico United | Austin, Texas |
| 8:00 PM CDT | Redes 24' Urruti 36' | Report | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,019 Referee: Elton Garcia |
| May 24, 2013 Round of 16 | Austin FC | 0–2 |  Chicago Fire FC | Austin, Texas |
| 8:00 PM CDT |
| Report | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 19,402 Referee: Alex Chilowicz |
Leagues Cup[edit]
South 1[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | MAZ | JUA | AUS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mazatlán | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 5 | Advance to knockout stage | — | 1–1 | — | |
| 2 | Juárez | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 | — | — | — | ||
| 3 | Austin FC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — |
| July 21, 2023 Group Stage | Austin FC | 1–3 | Mazatlán F.C. | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Randy Encarnación Solano |
| July 29, 2023 Group Stage | Austin FC | 1–3 | FC Juárez | Austin, Texas |
| 7:30 p.m. (CDT) | Report | Stadium: Q2 Stadium Attendance: 20,738 Referee: Ismael Rosario López |
Statistics[edit]
Appearances and goals[edit]
Numbers after plus–sign (+) denote appearances as a substitute.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | MLS | MLS Cup | U.S. Open Cup | Continental[a] | Other[b] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| 1 | GK | USA | Brad Stuver | 40 | 0 | 34+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | USA | Matt Hedges | 7 | 1 | 3+3 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | EGY | Amro Tarek | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | USA | Kipp Keller | 10 | 0 | 3+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | COL | Jhojan Valencia | 31 | 0 | 16+11 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF |  VEN | Daniel Pereira | 36 | 0 | 29+3 | 0 |
| |||||||