Austin FC takes down MLS Western Conference leader Los Angeles Galaxy

Austin FC picked a good time and opponent for its best performance of the year.

Facing the Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday at Q2 Stadium, the Verde & Black rode a strong defensive performance and early goals from Diego Rubio and Jáder Obrian to a 2-0 win.

Here are some thoughts from the match as Austin FC (4-3-3, 15 points) has now won four of its last five and will go back on the road next Saturday to face the Vancouver Whitecaps, who could take over the lead in the West depending on their result Saturday night vs. the New York Red Bulls:

Man of the match: Jáder Obrian

We’ll find out what his salary is in the next few weeks, but Obrian might be the best bang-for your-buck pickup of the MLS offseason.

Playing as right-side winger Saturday, he had the assist on Rubio’s goal and then out-sprinted the Galaxy’s defense and had a perfect finish on a breakaway to put Austin FC ahead 2-0.

Selected first in the MLS reentry draft after his contract wasn’t picked up by Dallas in November, Obrian has been stellar all season for the Verde & Black, whether he’s been on the right or left side.

And with a salary most likely less than $375,000, he’s been a brilliant addition by Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell.

Defense strong again

You can’t give enough credit to the Austin FC backline of Jon Gallagher, Brendan Hines-Ike, Julio Cascante and Guilherme Biro, who were stellar in shutting down a potent Galaxy attack.

Los Angeles had scored at least three goals five times this season and was shut out for the first time.

Verde & Black goalkeeper Brad Stuver was rarely challenged and had to make only one highlight-reel save.

Sure, Galaxy star striker Dejan Jovelijic didn’t play, and the Austin FC defense had the benefit of the team playing more conservatively with players farther back in their own half of the field — or a low block, for soccer purists — after taking the 2-0 lead.

But Los Angeles’ pricey offseason pickups, wingers Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec, were nonfactors, as was midfielder Ricard Puig, who is arguably the club’s best player.

Austin FC now has two straight shutouts and has allowed only one goal in three games.

As noted last week in this space after the 1-0 win at Houston, with a bench that has Matt Hedges and Žan Kolmanič and presumably Leo Väisänen coming back in the next month, the Austin FC defense is in very good shape.

Ring steps up

In addition to it being the team’s best performance of the year, it was also midfielder Alex Ring’s top showing.

At times this year, Ring has looked as if age might be catching up with him — he turned 33 this month — but Saturday he showed why he was made one of the team’s designated players before 2022.

He was part of the great string of passes that led to Rubio’s goal and played a pinpoint through ball to Obrian on the second score.

Ring’s defense was also solid when it needed to be as he combined with Dani Pereira for quality performances in the middle of the field.

Statement performance

It was apparent Austin FC was motivated for this game.

Though it wasn’t against one of its traditional rivals, Dallas or Houston, a matchup against one of the best teams in the league that was nationally televised gave the Verde & Black an opportunity to send a message to the rest of the league.

The club took full advantage and dictated play, looking far livelier than the Galaxy for the first 25 minutes. Los Angeles’ weakness entering the game was its defense, and it seemed that Austin FC was determined to capitalize on that early.

“At home you want to set the tone and play in their end,” Austin FC coach Josh Wolff said in his postgame press conference. “We knew we had a speed advantage in certain places and wanted to exploit their vulnerabilities and make them count.”

Bottom line

With 34 games, you don’t read too much into one result from the MLS schedule.

However, this was a big one for Austin FC.

The club has now won three straight at home, is 3-1-2 with 11 points at Q2 Stadium and seems to be right in the thick of the playoff race in the West.

Part of its problem in 2023 was being average at home with a 7-6-4 record.

That seems to be changing this year, and if the Verde & Black can hold form at Q2 and not be terrible on the road, playoff soccer in late October should be in the cards.

More:Austin FC defender Brendan Hines-Ike has hit the ground running for the Verde & Black