Austin FC Host New England Revolution Without Top Scorer Vazquez
Austin FC face a tough test on Saturday night as they welcome New England Revolution for the first time ever at Q2 Stadium in an interconference showdown. But they’ll do so without their top attacking threat, Brandon Vazquez, whose season-ending injury has left a significant void in an already struggling offense.
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Vazquez Injury Leaves Big Hole in Austin Attack
Austin, currently ninth in the Western Conference with 26 points, advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals after a dramatic penalty shootout win over San Jose on Tuesday. However, that celebration was overshadowed by the loss of Vazquez, who tore his right ACL in the 69th minute.
“You never want to see any of your players having those situations, but it’s part of the job and injuries happen,” said coach Nico Estevez. “On the other side, when you (build) a roster, you always have to plan that something bad can happen.”
Vazquez has been responsible for five of Austin’s MLS-low 15 goals this season. Only defender Guilherme Biro has more than one goal aside from Vazquez, highlighting just how thin the attacking options are now.
Revolution Look to End Skid and Reclaim Momentum
The Revolution enter this match desperate to stop a five-game winless streak (0-4-1), including a 2-1 home loss to Inter Miami on Wednesday. They haven’t claimed three points since May 31 against CF Montreal, and their hopes hinge largely on Carles Gil, who leads the team with eight goals.
“We have a very confident team even after the disappointment of losing to Miami,” said New England coach Caleb Porter. “When you don’t win against a very good team but you have the better of it, the confidence remains.”
“We’ve got a team now that (can) go and beat anybody. We are obviously a bit under (the playoff line) now, so we need to go and get these three points in Austin.”
New England, sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference with 24 points, needs to capitalize on a short-handed Austin squad to close the playoff gap.
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This clash could be a pivotal point in the season for both clubs. With Austin reeling from a major loss and New England looking to recover form, analyzing the right MLS Betting Predictions might make all the difference for fans and bettors alike.