Austin Fc Elimination From US Open Embarrassing As The Coach Is Under…
The majority of Austin FC II’s players can’t buy a beer, and if they haven’t experienced heartbreak personally yet, they certainly did professionally Tuesday.
Playing in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup, Austin FC II gave up the tying goal in stoppage time of extra time and lost on penalties 2-2 (4-3) to Foro SC at Parmer Field to be bounced out of the country’s oldest soccer competition.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow when we’re up, the other team is down a man and we had the ball the whole game,” said left winger CJ Fodrey, who was arguably the best player on the field and along with midfielder Micah Burton is a reserve on the first team that is being loaned to the second team.
“As a younger group, we have to take this with a grain of salt but also be able to build on it.”
It arguably could have been ahead 3-0 at halftime, but it trailed 1-0 after a brilliant flick-header late in the first half by Foro SC midfielder Jonathan Sauceda.
Jonathan Santillan finished Burton’s free kick from just outside the box to tie the game in the 53rd minute, and Austin FC II missed a few chances in the box prior to Foro SC going down to 10 men following a red card to Ivan Muanze-Bengono.
Sebastien Pineau finished a loose ball in the box to give the Verde and Black a 2-1 lead in the 105th minute, but Austin FC II didn’t control the ball enough with a man advantage in extra time to produce more opportunities.
Credit has to be given to Foro SC, though, a squad of players mostly 23 and older who presumably played high-level college soccer, was organized and at times displayed high quality for a team in the fourth division of the U.S. soccer pyramid.
Austin FC II’s inability to score more cost it when, with the game seconds from being over, Kyle Bennett headed in a cross from the right side that tied the game and stunned the crowd of more than 1,200.
Bennett also provided the game-winning penalty slightly before 11 p.m. to send the amateur side from Dallas through to the second round after Austin FC II didn’t convert its second and fifth penalties.
“I think we needed to be a bit more composed to try to take the extra pass and really try to implant ourselves in the opposition half of the field,” said Austin FC II manager Brett Uttley of his squad playing with a man advantage in the contest’s final 40 minutes.
“Obviously, they were putting a lot of pressure on us. … For our younger players, I think it’s an important learning lesson that when you’re in a knockout game, the match has a different buzz to it.