Austin FC 0-0 Portland Timbers: The Littlest Possible Win

How I watch with my ears...

Nobody won yesterday’s 0-0 draw between Austin FC and the Portland Timbers, very much up to and including any and all fans who turned up or tuned in. In its defense, the highlights reminded me of some…action I either forgot, or that didn’t enter my consciousness during the periods when I let my eyes rest and took my best shot at watching the game with my ears. Then again, the five-minute run-time tells its own story.

About the Game
Austin played the 4-3-3 that I touted for in the Scouting Report and still believe suits them best (the official line up was a lie). It never generated much offense for them, though spendy new striker, Myrto Uzuni, did bookend the game with looks on goal at either end that showcased what he’s all about – or can be. That accounts for two of Austin’s eleven shots total and their only shot on frame came when Brandon Vazquez sandwiched a point-blank header at Portland’s James Pantemis in between stumbling at the feet of Jimer Fory and chasing the ref to demand a penalty kick. Think that happened…somewhere close to the 80th minute and, sure, that does get me ahead of the game, but I wanted to wrap up Austin before turning to the Timbers. Back to the game writ large, after 30 minutes of…not a whole lot (and the first attempted nap*), both teams took more interest in attempting to forcing the ball through one another’s lines. And then came the halftime whistle, which referee Drew Fischer couldn't blow fast enough. The first team to stir was Portland. After posting a meager three shots with one on goal over the opening 45 minutes, they started to find ways to get the ball into Austin’s defensive third. One popular route saw David Ayala step higher into central space to receive a short pass inside, which he then carried into the teeth of Austin’s last line of defense; seems like a nice move to file away for the future use. While that, and other options, got the ball closer to Brad Stuver’s goal, Austin’s last line did a good job of pushing Portland’s attacking moves outside the frame of the goal, forcing them to cross or take shots from diagonal angles (Santiago Moreno probably fired the best of these). The Timbers held a very real competitive edge over the opening 20-25 minutes of the second half and, over the entire 45-minute period, they grew their top-line attacking numbers from three shots with one on goal to 13 shots with seven on goal by the final whistle. Nothing I saw from Portland struck me as outright dangerous – it’s even possible Austin had the best smattering of chances – but, as I type this, I’d rather be Portland than Austin.

An Aside on Austin FC
The main details that stand out are the collective strength of Austin’s defense – i.e., the sum of it is better than any one of its parts – and an appreciation of Owen Wolff, Besard Sabovic, and Daniel Pereira (who made a nice shot for himself in second-half stoppage). I’m confident Austin fans walk away from every game wondering how much better they could be with a actual playmaker, as opposed to three No. 8s and a dodgy winger (aka, Osman Bukari). One thing that surprised me: Austin’s (apparent) disinterest in playing either Vazquez or Bukari behind the Timbers high defensive line with a ball over the top; even with the theory I have on that (see below), I thought they’d try it more, or at least once or twice. The draw didn’t hurt them much – fourth in the Western Conference isn’t terrible by any means – but three points always beats one and I don’t see anything to indicate they’ll improve on being the team that walked off the field yesterday absent a fresh new signing or two.

Why spend the money when you have Austin FC?

The fact this game put me to sleep with the power of an herbal sedative chased with valium *doesn’t mean I didn’t like anything about. I flagged a few in the talking points, but a third clean sheet of the season after just seven games feels as good as getting one a point and burying two.

6 Quick Thoughts, aka, Talking Points
1) Good (Defensive) Game-Plan
I mentioned Austin’s apparent reluctance to play the ball over the top, but never spoke to what Portland did that might have complicated the choice. The Timbers defended high for most of the game, which 1) kept forwards and midfielders close to Austin’s fullbacks and defenders, thereby giving them something to worry about, and 2) shrank the space that Austin’s forwards and Bukari had to run at Portland’s back four. Their leading players didn’t press a lot, but they didn’t have to. Don’t know how useful that approach will or can be going forward, but it felt like a great call against Austin.

2) Fory’s Positioning
Another wrinkle involved holding Fory in a deeper role, often level with Finn Surman and Kamal Miller. Part of that no doubt followed from keeping Bukari from having space to operate, and it largely negated one of Austin’s kinda, sorta playmaking mechanisms, but it doesn’t seem like the worst general choice either. Whatever qualities Fory has going forward, he’s a better defender than Juan David Mosquera, so maybe that’s something to lean into?

3) My Personal Greatest Cause for Optimism
Portland’s movement off the ball, particularly the way players are repositioning to receive the ball as the team is building out has improved, like, a lot just since they last played Austin. It’s not lung-busting stuff, either, just rotating to become a safe option or the next passing hub as the ball goes to the receiving player. Small, yet fundamental. The player perhaps doing the most with it?

4) “Ayala has become a really good midfielder.”
I don’t recall who called the game (and really should start writing it down, given how often I quote them), but hearing a neutral observer say that felt somehow validating. As noted above, Ayala getting forward became the most reliable way to break through Austin’s midfield and he found good spaces closer to goal to where he could spread the field a little more. The more options for getting through midfield and the more approaches to goal this team can find, the brighter the future looks…though, of course, some of that depends on the cover.

5) Better, Then Broken?
Don’t know about you, but my fingers crossed involuntarily when I saw Joao Ortiz in the starting eleven. He did better than in his prior outings, with tighter, better-judged passes and noticeably better control in his defending…and there I was, coming around to the concept until Ortiz sat down on the field and came off at the 58th minute. As most people who visit this space know, I follow FC Cincinnati as well and watching Chris Albright unearth one gem after another (e.g., Gilberto Flores) and make brilliant trades (Miles freakin’ Robinson, people), while Ned Grabavoy gets…Ortiz? Let’s just say it’s easy to feel the weight of the comparison. And yet…

6) Credit Where It Is Due
Surman was a find. The Kiwi Kid’s killing it, week after week. No offense intended to Zac McGraw, but I don’t see him getting minutes any time soon, so…any chance the team can shop him?

That’s all the labor this one deserves. The Timbers bounce up to Sporting Kansas City for the next one, so that Scouting Report will be the next thing you see.