THE VERDE REWIND: ST. LOUIS
The Result: Austin FC 2-0 St Louis City FC
Christian Ramirez scored the winning goal in the 69th minute and assisted Myrto Uzuni’s 81st-minute tally to lead Austin FC (3-4-4) past St Louis City (1-3-6). A second consecutive 2-0 victory at Q2 Stadium, featuring the long-anticipated returns of star striker Brandon Vazquez and key midfielder Owen Wolff as late substitutes.
Austin FC forwards Myrto Uzuni and Christian Ramirez. Photo courtesy of Chris Rodriguez (RDZ Flickz)
How It Happened
The pace of play was often frenetic with big chances at both ends, but the contest remained scoreless for the first 68 minutes. Despite several opportunities, Austin was unable to beat St Louis City’s Roman Burki until Ramirez headed in a perfect pass from substitute Midfielder Daniel Pereira past the German Goalkeeper, lifting a packed Q2 Stadium crowd into a frenzy. It was Austin’s second consecutive win and clean sheet after producing only one victory and conceding 19 goals in their first nine matches of the 2026 MLS Season. Pereira had just entered the match after missing all but 47 minutes since March 1st due to a hamstring injury. As Owen Wolff and Center Back Jon Bell waited by the touchline to join the party, a blistering counterattack by Austin would double the Verde and Black’s lead. Stuver leapt to grab a St Louis corner kick and threw the ball forward-left to Joseph Rosales, who laid it off for Facundo Torres. He hit a sprinting Jon Gallagher near the goal line with an excellent vertical play, and Gallagher’s cross would find Ramirez, who connected with fellow striker Uzuni to assist a far post shot that doubled Austin’s lead.
Austin FC group celebration. Photo courtesy of Chris Rodriguez (RDZ Flickz)
In the first ten minutes of the match, Austin FC went to work immediately, interrogating Burki and the St Louis backline with six shot attempts before their opponents could manage their first shot in the tenth minute. A quick counter in the third minute would foreshadow the way in which Austin would vanquish their midwestern visitors as Torres raced into the midfield with possession and sent a perfectly weighted long-ball into the left corner to reward a swift run by Gallagher, who crossed the ball to an in-form Uzuni…only to have the door slammed by a diving Burki at point blank range. Austin would test St Louis with a similar counter one minute later with Uzuni as the facilitator, but Ramierz missed the frame with a far-post attempt. Burki would make difficult first-half saves on Uzuni and Torres to enhance the afternoon’s suspense.
Poor finishing would haunt St Louis City throughout. Forwards Marcell Hartzell and Simon Becher tested Stuver from long and short range in the First Half, but their best opportunity was squandered. With the score still 0-0, Austin Fullback Mikkel Desler played an erroneous back pass under pressure that led to an open break by Hartzell and Becher, but Hartzell’s pass was slightly far, and Becher failed to adjust, kicking the ball into the outside of the yawning net to the shock and delight of the Austin crowd.
Austin FC captain Ilie Sanchez. Photo courtesy of Chris Rodriguez (RDZ Flickz)
Accentuating the delirium of home fans, Brandon Vazquez entered the match in the 89th minute to a loud ovation. It had been 299 days since the highly touted forward had seen the pitch after suffering an ACL tear in last season’s US Open Cup Quarterfinal win in San Jose. Fans were also relieved to see Owen Wolff (sports hernia) and Dani Periera (hamstring) take the pitch after their lengthy absences left Manager Nico Estevez’s midfield depleted during a difficult run of matches. Coming off a breakout 2025 season in which he was arguably Austin FC’s best field player, Wolff’s return had been anticipated sooner, but recovery took longer than expected.
Brandon Vazquez made his season debut after a season-ending injury in 2025. Photo courtesy of Chris Rodriguez (RDZ Flickz)
Analysis and What’s Next:
Austin FC’s defensive woes away from Q2 Stadium have been well documented, but at home, the Verde and Black have been far stingier. It was Brad Stuver’s fourth clean sheet in six home matches so far. Defensively, Austin allowed 10 shots on target in combined home matches versus Houston Dynamo and St Louis, following a disastrous 5-1 away loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, where Stuver faced 16 shots on frame. Offensively, Austin FC routinely threatened their opponents throughout the match and, for the second consecutive week, built a two-goal lead after failing to lead by multiple goals at any point this season prior.
Austin FC Goalkeepers Damian Las (Green) & Brad Stuver (Magenta) Photo courtesy of Chris Rodriguez (RDZ Flickz)
This was the penultimate home match for Austin FC before the World Cup break. The Verde and Black travel to Minnesota (6-2-3) on Sunday to face a Loons side that erased a 2-0 deficit to win in Columbus over the weekend. Austin drew with Minnesota 2-2 in the season-opening reverse fixture at Q2 Stadium. 3 days later, they will be in Southern California to face a San Diego (3-3-5) side that has suddenly found itself in miserable form. The next and final home match of the Spring will be against Sporting Kansas City (1-2-7), who are currently last in the Western Conference.
WRITTEN BY JORDAN STEWART
