AUSTIN, Texas — Austin FC enters their second year in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2022 after finishing their inaugural season second to last in the Western Conference with 31 points.
The Verde and Black have retooled, regrouped and are "listos" for a brand-new slate in year two. There are some new faces on the team for fans to learn. There will also be some new squads coming to Q2 Stadium that Verde fans have yet to see.
Here is a guide for everything you need to know leading into Austin FC's second season:
Meet the team
There are a few key additions and departures to take note of headed into Austin FC's second season.
A few Austin FC players retired from professional soccer in the offseason, including MLS veteran Matt Besler and Aaron Schoenfeld.
The club declined the 2022 contract options for the following six players: Kekuta Manneh, Schoenfeld, Brady Scott, Aedan Stanley, Jared Stroud and Ben Sweat. Stanley was signed by USL club Miami FC. Sweat signed with Sporting Kansas City. Sweat was sidelined for the majority of the 2021 season due to a knee injury.
Austin FC, however, signed Stroud to a new one-year deal.
Other Austin FC departures included Tomas Pochettino and McKinze Gaines. Pochettino was loaned to Argentinian club River Plate, and Gaines was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the Expansion Draft by Charlotte FC.
Austin FC also brought in talent, including signing striker Maxi Urruti and midfielder Ethan Finlay, and drafting Kipp Keller, Charlie Asensio and Michael Knapp. Days after the draft, the club signed Colombian midfielder Jhojan Valencia to a three-year deal.
On Jan. 24, Austin FC announced Žan Kolmanič, Rodney Redes, and Jhohan Romaña all obtained Green Cards, and thus no longer occupied an international player slot on the roster. The club also announced that day they had received $225,000 in 2022 General Allocation Money (GAM) from Inter Miami CF in exchange for a 2022 international roster slot. Later that same day, Austin FC announced the signing of Norway defender Ruben Gabrielsen on a two-year deal with an option for the 2024 season.
On Jan. 25, Austin FC announced the club had signed 19-year-old U.S. Youth International Goalkeeper Damian Las. Austin FC also announced that the club had waived and exercised its one offseason Buyout of a Guaranteed Contract on midfielder Ulises Segura. Segura released a statement on Twitter on Jan. 26.
On Feb. 7, Austin FC announced the club had signed 31-year-old midfielder Felipe Martins on a one-year contract with an option for 2023.
On Feb. 23, Austin FC announced the club had officially signed 22-year-old defender Charlie Asensio on a one-year guaranteed contract with options for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons. Austin FC selected him in the second round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft with the 35th overall pick.
On March 9, Austin FC announced that the club had loaned goalkeeper Will Pulisic to USL League One club North Carolina FC on a season-long agreement for the 2022 season, with Austin FC retaining the right to recall the player at any given time.
On March 11, Austin FC announced that the club had loaned defender Freddy Kleemann to USL Championship club Birmingham Legion FC on a season-long agreement for the 2022 season, with Austin FC retaining the right to recall Kleemann at any given time.
Here is a look at the full 2022 Austin FC roster:
Goalkeepers
- Brad Stuver
- Andrew Tarbell
- Will Pulisic (loaned to North Carolina FC)
- Damian Las
Defenders
- Zan Kolmanic – U22 Initiative
- Freddy Kleeman (loaned to Birmingham Legion FC)
- Jhohan Romana
- Julio Cascante
- Nick Lima
- Kipp Keller – Generation adidas
- Charlie Asensio
- Ruben Gabrielsen – International
Midfielders
- Ceclio Dominguez – International, Designated Player
- Daniel Pereira – Generation adidas
- Jared Stroud
- Alex Ring – Designated Player
- Diego Fagundez
- Hector Jimenez
- Ethan Finlay
- Owen Wolff – Homegrown
- Michael Knapp
- Jhojan Valencia – International
- Felipe Martins
Forwards
- Sebastian Driussi – International, Designated Player
- Moussa Djitte – International, U22 Initiative
- Rodney Redes – U22 Initiative
- Jon Gallagher
- Danny Hoesen
- Maxi Urruti
Full schedule
On Jan. 13, Austin FC announced it would host Liga MX Apertura 2021 title-winners Atlas FC in a preseason friendly match at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m.
Here is a look at the club's full 2022 season schedule (*denotes preseason match):
- Jan. 30 vs. Louisville City FC at St. David's Performance Center (Austin, TX)*
- Feb. 9 vs. Toronto FC at St. David's Performance Center (Austin, TX)*
- Feb. 12 vs. Houston Dynamo FC at PNC Stadium*
- Feb. 16 vs. Atlas FC at Q2 Stadium*
- Feb. 19 vs. Chicago Fire FC at at St. David's Performance Center (Austin, TX)*
- Feb 26. vs. FC Cincinnati at Q2 Stadium
- March 6 vs. Inter Miami CF at Q2 Stadium
- March 12 vs. Portland Timbers at Providence Park
- March 20 vs. Seattle Sounders FC at Q2 Stadium
- April 2 vs. San Jose at PayPal Park
- April 10 vs. Minnesota United FC at Q2 Stadium
- April 16 vs. D.C. United at Audi Field
- April 23 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Q2 Stadium
- April 30 vs. Houston Dynamo FC at PNC Stadium
- May 8 vs. LA Galaxy at Q2 Stadium
- May 14 vs. Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium
- May 18 vs. LAFC at Banc of California Stadium
- May 22 vs. Orlando City SC at Q2 Stadium
- May 29 vs. LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park
- June 18 vs. CF Montréal at Stade Saputo
- June 25 vs. FC Dallas at Q2 Stadium
- June 29 vs. Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium
- July 4 vs. Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Good Park
- July 9 vs. Atlanta United FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- July 12 vs. Houston Dynamo FC at Q2 Stadium
- July 16 vs. FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium
- July 24 vs. New York Red Bulls at Q2 Stadium
- July 30 vs. Sporting Kansas City at Children's Mercy Park
- Aug. 6 vs. San Jose at Q2 Stadium
- Aug. 10 – 2022 MLS All-Star Game at Minnesota United’s Allianz Field
- Aug. 13 vs. Sporting Kansas City at Q2 Stadium
- Aug. 20 vs. Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field
- Aug. 26 vs. LAFC at Q2 Stadium
- Aug. 31 vs. Portland Timbers at Q2 Stadium
- Sept. 3 vs. Nashville SC at TBC
- Sept. 10 vs. Seattle Sounders FC at Lumen Field
- Sept. 14 vs. Real Salt Lake at Q2 Stadium
- Sept. 17 vs. Nashville SC at Q2 Stadium
- Oct. 1 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place
- Oct. 9 vs. Colorado Rapids at Q2 Stadium
Storylines to watch
2022 season opener: Another McConaughey appearance? Will we see a TIFO?
The home opener in 2021 had an electric atmosphere unparalleled for the rest of the season. Austin FC pulled out all the stops to make it a memorable night, including a Verde suit-wearing Matthew McConaughey appearance to lead on of the most raucous the "Listos! Verde!" chants of the season, followed by an unforgettable City of Legends TIFO reveal.
Austin FC open the season against a new foe, Eastern Conference member FC Cincinnati. What will Austin FC have up their sleeves for match one of year two? Stay tuned.
New opponents in 2022
To continue the theme of "new opponents" that Austin FC will see, starting from the opening match, the club is scheduled against many more Eastern Conference teams in its second season than it faced in 2021. Austin FC fans will see the Verde take on the following teams for the first time: FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami CF, D.C. United, Orlando City SC, CF Montréal, Charlotte FC, Atlanta United FC and New York Red Bulls.
Not so new opponents in 2022: The Texas Derby matches
Austin FC will also give it another shot to claim the Copa Tejas trophy, a supporter-based competition among the different soccer clubs in Texas. In 2021, Austin FC had a chance to secure the title in their final matchup with FC Dallas. Austin FC lost to FC Dallas 2-1 that night, missing out on the first-ever Copa Tejas trophy for MLS. FC Dallas finished the season as Texas's top MLS team.
Who will raise the Copa Tejas trophy in 2022? Pay special attention to these matches:
- April 30 vs. Houston Dynamo FC at PNC Stadium
- June 25 vs. FC Dallas at Q2 Stadium
- July 12 vs. Houston Dynamo FC at Q2 Stadium
- July 16 vs. FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium
You can also keep track of the Copa Tejas standings online here.
McKinze Gaines dons Carolina Blue against the Verde and Black
We're poised to see the first Austinite to ever score in club history suit up against his hometown club. One of the most memorable moments of the inaugural season was seeing Round Rock native McKinze Gaines score his first career MLS goal – one suited for the highlight reel. The moment was captured in front of a national audience, televised in Austin FC's match against the LA Galaxy on ESPN.
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After Gaines scored that goal, he wrote a letter to the Austin FC fanbase, thanking them for their support.
"There truly aren’t words that do justice to the sense of pride that I feel to be the first Austin-born player to represent the Club," Gaines wrote.
On June 29, Austin FC will travel to Charlotte to face the MLS's newest expansion franchise, and likely Gaines too, assuming the coach will play him in the match against his hometown team.
Will Austin FC make a playoff push?
In year one, Austin FC had to play their first eight matches all on the road due to stadium construction timelines, a tall task for any new franchise. They ended up winning two of their first three matches, were leading early in the fourth and all signs pointed to a squad looking to make noise out of the gate.
Injuries happened, the long travel caught up with the squad, and it showed with an up-and-down season that finished with Austin FC toward the bottom of the league's standings. Austin FC showed promising flashes of great play, however, which fans can cling to when hoping for a more successful second year.
Austin FC held their own against the top four Western conference teams from 2021, boasting a 4-5-2 record versus Colorado Rapids, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City and Portland Timbers. Against all MLS teams that made the playoffs in 2021, Austin FC held a 6-12-2 record.
Brad Stuuuuuuuver returns as Austin's goalkeeper
One of the brighter spots for Austin FC's performance in 2021 was the emergence of Brad Stuver. Stuver led the MLS in saves (136), which is both a good and a bad thing. Yes, he's making a ton of saves. That's his job. But it also means he sees a lot of shots.
Defensive success – both from Stuver and the back line – will be crucial for a 2022 turnaround. Austin FC allowed 56 goals in 2021, the fourth-most in the league.
The defense started to falter toward the end of the season, averaging two goals allowed per game in the final 12 matches, as opposed to only one goal per game in the first 12.
How to get tickets
Fans interested in attending Austin FC home matches are encouraged to join the 2022 Waitlist Membership, which will provide pre-sale access for single-match tickets to regular season MLS home matches for the 2022 season. Single-game tickets are also on sale at austinfc.com/tickets.
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