Two quick second-half goals seal Austin FC's fate in 4-0 loss to San Jose
Austin FC’s road woes continue.
El Tree lost its fifth straight game on the road Wednesday, this one coming in a somewhat lackluster performance during a 4-0 loss to San Jose at Paypal Stadium, where the Earthquakes scored four times in the second half.
After playing one of its better matches of the year — despite not scoring — during a 1-0 loss to Minnesota United on Saturday at home, Austin couldn’t get any carryover from that performance Wednesday as it fell to 2-11-2 away from Q2 Stadium.
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Though Austin FC was eliminated from the playoff race Saturday and is essentially just playing the remainder of the season out, players said that wasn’t a factor in what can fairly be described as a poor second half.
“I think everyone was motivated to come out and perform,” Austin FC midfielder Diego Fagundez said. “They took points off us at home the last time we played, and since they’re still fighting for a playoff spot, we wanted to do that to them and be that team that comes out and doesn’t allow them to get points. But overall, it was an off day for everybody, and we need to be looking forward.”
The teams played fairly evenly in the first half, though San Jose had more possession time, and Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver made a solid save when Earthquakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse had a one-on-one in the 41st minute.
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But things changed two minutes into the second half.
El Tree defender Julio Cascante overran a long pass down the field from Earthquakes goalie JT Marcinkowski, allowing San Jose forward Benjamin Kikanovic to have a free run with the ball into the box and eventually find Javier López for an easy goal.
“It was a poor mistake by Julio to start the half,” said Austin FC manager Josh Wolff, who was clearly frustrated and at times combative with the media in his postgame press conference. “Goals shape the game. We gave away a goal in the first few minutes there, and that affects confidence. It affects the group. We were a solid, disciplined group in the first half. Then you give up a quick goal and have to go chase it a bit against a team that’s difficult to play against.”
Continuing a season-long trend of being on the wrong end of some questionable refereeing decisions led to El Tree being down 2-0 a short time later.
While it appeared Austin FC defender Zan Kolmanic was pulled down on an Earthquakes breakaway, the officials allowed play to continue, and Kikanovic ran onto the loose ball and beat Stuver to the right post.
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An irate Stuver and Austin coaching staff confronted the officials after the play, but there was no reversing the call.
“At this point in the year we’re never going to get a call like that,” Fagundez said. “The referees are not on our side. I don’t know what it’s going to take. … It’s tough coming out of half and giving up two quick goals like that.”
Austin FC almost answered immediately on Sebastián Driussi’s rocket shot from the top of the box, but it deflected off San Jose defender Tanner Beason, who happened to be right in front of the goal.
The Earthquakes struck for their third goal in the 59th minute, as Chris Wondolowski — Major League Soccer's all-time leading scorer — had the fortune of a deflected cross by El Tree defender Nick Lima land right at his feet in the middle of the box, which he clinically one-touched into the net.
Carlos Fierro ended the scoring in the 85th minute as he headed home a corner kick.
“It was a difficult second half,” Wolff said. “The first half was what we expected as nothing was clear-cut in terms of who had the advantage. But once we got behind, they play (man-to-man defense), where it’s tough to get numerical advantages. They’re a tough team to play against overall. It was challenging, but there were some opportunities we didn’t take advantage of in the first half.”
The game exhibited the difference in a team fighting for its playoff life and one that isn’t.
San Jose sits seven points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. While it is a long shot to make the postseason, it’s still a shot.
The same can’t be said for Austin FC, but El Tree knows it needs to be better than what it was Wednesday.
“Maybe everybody needs to take a look in the mirror and say, ‘What can we do better?’” Fagundez said. “I look at myself, and I didn’t have a good game, but it’s something we need to move on to (Sunday against Houston). We’ve got four more games, and these are very important to us.”