My introduction to ATX
Sean Clark details his recent visit to Austin, Texas and his experience at Q2 Stadium.
As I continue my journey of exploring MLS venues outside of Colorado, I had the pleasure of visiting my friend Justin in Austin, Texas. He is a Christian friend who I went to college with at Northern Arizona University and I hadn’t seen him in four years. That weekend, Austin FC hosted Minnesota United, who came into Saturday’s match in third place in the Western Conference.
I flew into Austin late on a Friday night and quickly, I realized there was an oddity about Austin-Bergstrom International Airport: there is a small terminal only for Frontier and Allegiant Airlines. Since I flew Frontier, I was quickly confused when it took 30 seconds to go from the gate to the ground transportation pickup area, meaning I was separated from the main terminal. It made it convenient to fly back home but it was a mess to figure out when I landed.
After reuniting with my friend, I got to explore Austin the next day. He and his wife took me to an icehouse, a rare concept in Colorado but much more common in Texas. It is essentially a beer-only indoor and outdoor restaurant joint. I had the best chicken fried steak along with delicious biscuit and eggs.
Justin then showed me around Austin, which included a soccer store, unlimited arcade that serves alcohol, the University of Texas, a riverwalk near downtown and a barbecue joint. I had a great time catching up with him and enjoying all the aforementioned sites on a perfect sunny day in Austin. One note, the traffic is abysmal, even worse than the mess that is Denver traffic. With so much construction and congestion, it felt like it took forever to get anywhere in the city. I admire Justin for being patient all these years living there because it drove me crazy (keep in mind it was not even a workday).
After all this we arrived at Q2 Stadium, home of Austin FC. Los Verdes, the 27th MLS club, gave the city of Austin their first major professional sports team ever (was the largest US city without one). The club began play in 2021 and during their first four years, results have been mixed. Austin FC missed the playoffs in 2021 and 2023-24 but in 2022, Austin FC finished second in the Western Conference after a super season from attacking midfielder Sebastian Driussi. In the playoffs, they defeated Real Salt Lake in a penalty shootout before knocking out FC Dallas 2-1 in a Texas Derby. While they fell 3-0 in the Western Conference Finals to the eventual champions LAFC, Austin gave their fanbase an unforgettable season, announcing themselves to the rest of the MLS.
The next two years saw major injuries and disappointment. Driussi left the club and they brought in former FC Cincinnati and Monterrey stalwart Brandon Vasquez to shore up the attack. Heading into Justin and I’s match, Austin was fourth in the Western Conference, one spot behind Minnesota United.
The Loons of Minnesota are a club I have had a soft spot for since I started watching the MLS in 2019. Many of their players are likable and they are always fun and competitive. In the two times I’ve seen them play the Rapids, the matches were thrilling with them losing to Colorado 4-3 in 2022 and drawing against the Rapids in 2024 3-3. With both clubs in the top half of the WC playoff picture, I was excited for the match.
After a nice walk from the Domain Shopping Mall, we arrived at Q2 Stadium. With it being so new (opened 2021), it easily takes the cake as the coolest soccer stadium I’ve been to in person. The walkway was so open and easily to walk around, the concessions were spread out well and the team store was easy to find. However, the best part is the greenery. All the seats are green and with the stadium being partially enclosed, the pitch looks even more green, creating a jaw-dropping first scene when entering the stadium.
Once the sun was set (we sat on the midfield line in the upper sections with the sun facing us), I basked in the view. On top of this, the supporters section was crazy with energy and fun music, making me feel like I was at a concert and soccer match at the same time. Justin, who has a background in music, was jamming to the band in the section, a wonderful aspect of my time there. Lastly, the temperature was perfection: 72 degrees and zero wind.
Let’s discuss the match itself. I expected a 2-2 draw with both club’s strengths coming in their attacks. I knew Minnesota was going to emphasize running while Austin would have more technical ability. Alas, I was right but Minnesota utilized their strategy way more effectively.
Austin FC’s goalkeeper, Brad Stuver, let in a deflection off midfielder Ilie Sanchez in the 22nd minute, taking the wind out of Austin’s sails. Minnesota kept running and in the 35th minute, former Rapid Anthony Markanich scored on a brilliant header, stunning the crowd. What followed in the next 40 minutes was Austin failing to make decisive and quick decisions on the attack, often hesitating and attackers kept being out of position for incoming passes. Austin eventually got it going but other than a Vasquez goal disallowed for offsides late in the match, Austin could not find the back of the net. Minnesota added a stoppage time goal and came away with the 3-0 victory. The result meant that now, all three times I’ve seen the Loons in person, they’ve scored exactly three goals.
It was the largest home loss in Austin FC’s history (I guess I am bad luck). Minnesota was way more decisive and united in the attack, making the difference in the match despite Austin controlling 67% of the possession. The Loons catapulted up to second in the WC, showing they are a legit contender. Austin dropped to sixth, showing they have a ways to go and must find more consistency.
On top of this, toward the end of the match, I saw on my phone that the Colorado Avalanche blew a 2-0 lead in Game 7 against the Dallas Stars, ending their season in historically heartbreaking fashion. While I left the match sad, I was grateful to experience an incredible atmosphere, Justin enjoyed his first Austin FC match and that checked another MLS venue off the list.
Overall, while the traffic was less than ideal and Austin is not a place I would desire to relocate to, I enjoyed my weekend with Justin and made it back home with zero difficulties. There will be at least one more new MLS venue to explore in 2025 so stay tuned!