Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Austin FC advance as Real Salt Lake pay penalty in MLS playoffs

Austin FC advance as Real Salt Lake pay penalty in MLS playoffs

Austin FC advance as Real Salt Lake pay penalty in MLS playoffs

Austin FC vs Real Salt Lake

Advertisement
  • Austin FC defeated Real Salt Lake on penalties.
  • Austin’s Brad Stuver saved two penalty kicks from Sergio Cordova and Braian Ojeda.
  • Austin will now face either Dallas or Minnesota in the semifinal.
Advertisement

Austin FC vs Real Salt Lake: Sunday, Austin FC overcame Real Salt Lake on penalties to progress to the Western Conference semifinals of the Major League Soccer playoffs.

The Texas club’s goalkeeper Brad Stuver was the hero, making two penalty saves in the shootout before Salt Lake’s Tate Schmitt blasted his shot high over the crossbar to give Austin a 3-1 shootout victory after the game had ended 2-2 in extra time.

Austin will now face either Dallas or Minnesota in the semifinals of the Western Conference.

Austin had forced extra time in a dramatic way late in stoppage time when Real midfielder Scott Caldwell was ruled to have handled the ball near the edge of the penalty area while attempting a block.

Sebastian Driussi came up to convert the penalty kick to the relief of the 20,738-person capacity crowd at Q2 Stadium in Austin.

Real Salt Lake appeared to have done enough to secure the victory after defending a 2-1 lead with 10 men for the majority of the second half following Rubio Rubin’s dismissal for a second booking in the 53rd minute.

Advertisement

Real startled the home crowd in the early minutes of the first half, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after just 15 minutes.

After three minutes, Venezuelan international Sergio Cordova gave the visitors the lead with a header into the bottom right corner from an excellent cross by right defender Andrew Brody.

Cordova subsequently increased Salt Lake’s advantage with a penalty shot in the 15th minute after Colombian defender Johan Valencia handled the ball. He calmly placed his penalty kick into the bottom corner.

Driussi scored off a Diego Fagundez pass from the left side in the 31st minute, as he was afforded time and space to do so. This goal helped Austin close the gap.

Austin appeared prepared to equalize following a strong start to the second half, but Argentine attacker Emiliano Rigoni blew two golden opportunities.

Rigoni should have equalized immediately after halftime, but his attempt from only three yards out went high.

Advertisement

Shortly after, Rubin was sent off, and Rigoni wasted another opportunity by headed Jon Gallagher’s cross harmlessly wide.

Driussi had the ball in the net during extra time, but he was called offside before penalties were taken.

In the shootout, Stuver saved from Brody and Braian Ojeda before Schmitt’s miss sealed Salt Lake’s doom.

Also Read

LAFC clinches best MLS regular season mark with 2-1 win
LAFC clinches best MLS regular season mark with 2-1 win

LAFC's Denis Bouanga scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time. The 27-year-old...

Advertisement
Advertisement
Read More News On

Catch all the Football News, Sports News, Breaking News Event and Latest News Updates on The BOL News


Download The BOL News App to get the Daily News Update & Follow us on Google News.


End of Article

Next Story