- Austin takes down local rivals
- Driussi shines again
- Conference final clash with LAFC looms
WHAT HAPPENED? Austin FC's star-laden attack was at their very best early on, with Moussa Djitte scoring the first goal 26 minutes into the match, igniting a home crowd that had been making noise since long before kickoff.
The stadium only got louder three minutes later when MVP candidate Sebastian Driussi doubled Austin's lead with a fantastic solo effort and finish as Austin seemingly seized control of the game.
FC Dallas, though, didn't lie down, setting up a more frantic finish than Austin would have liked. Alan Velasco, fresh off his penalty kick wizardry in the last round, scored in the 65th minute to pull FC Dallas within one.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Austin FC needed some late heroics against Real Salt Lake, scoring late in stoppage time and eventually winning in penalties to book their spot in this round. They needed no such chaos on Sunday night as they didn't sleepwalk through the opening moments as they did against RSL.
However, Austin was a bit lucky to survive FC Dallas' second-half surge, with Brad Stuver making a huge, huge save in the 88th minute to preserve the lead.
ALL EYES ON: Driussi may just be the best player left in these playoffs and, considering the others left in the field, that really is saying something. The Argentinian star is just so key to everything Austin does and so scary for other teams to come up against. Driussi simply has the It Factor, the quality needed to turn a game on its head in one moment, as he did with his goal on Sunday. He now has five goals in as many games and three in his first two playoff games. What more could you ask for?
THE VERDICT: It's become a bit commonplace with all of the expansion teams in recent years, but it's worth recognizing just how quickly Austin has built something truly special. From the stadium atmosphere to the on-field product, Austin already feels like a team with a culture and identity within just two years of their arrival. And now, on top of that, they now have a statement, club-defining win over a local rival.
Austin has well and truly arrived, which was bad news for FC Dallas but is great news for MLS as a whole.
WHAT NEXT FOR AUSTIN FC? Austin FC's place in the MLS hierarchy will truly be tested in the Western Conference final, where they will meet Supporters' Shield winners LAFC for the right to play either the Philadelphia Union or NYCFC in the MLS Cup final.