Austin FC’s dream season rolls on to the Western Conference final

Sebastián Driussi scored the winner on an electric night at Q2 Stadium

Austin FC finished one point out of last place in 2021, its expansion season. One year later, Josh Wolff’s team is in the Western Conference final.

The Verde’s dream 2022 continued on Sunday night when they defeated Texas rival FC Dallas 2-1 in the conference semifinal at Q2 Stadium.

The game turned in three first-half minutes, during which the home side scored the two goals they would need on the night.

Moussa Djitté found the net when the ball broke to him off a corner kick in the 26th minute. Three minutes later, league MVP finalist Sebastián Driussi took advantage of a turnover to net an outstanding solo goal that would end up being the game-winner.

FC Dallas produced an improved second half, highlighted by Alan Velasco’s 65th-minute goal to give them a lifeline, but they could not produce the equalizer they needed to force the game into extra time. Brad Stuver was a big reason behind that.

The Austin goalkeeper produced one of the biggest saves of his career with the clock winding down in the second half, denying Jáder Obrian’s point-blank header to keep his side in front.

Second-seeded Austin will now travel to face top seed LAFC on Sunday in the conference final. Wolff said that matchup is what he expected all along.

“It’s what it should have been, it’s what it was always going to be,” the coach said on ESPN after the game, “so we look forward to the opportunity.”

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