Austin FC’s 2024 campaign ended in disappointment on Wednesday night as the Verde and Black suffered a 2-1 defeat to Real Salt Lake at Q2 Stadium. The result officially eliminated Austin from the MLS playoff race, leaving the team with just two games remaining on the schedule. Despite a brief lead, the home side could not withstand a rapid counter-attack from the visitors, who seized control of the match in the final stretch of the second half.
A nine-minute collapse seals Austin’s fate, marking a third missed postseason in four years.
The match turned on a pivotal nine-minute window following Jorge Alastuey’s first career goal, which had given Austin a 1-0 lead. Real Salt Lake responded with precision, as Saba Lobjanidze curled a shot into the net from inside the box to equalize. Moments later, Morgan Guilavogui finished a swift counterattack to give RSL the 2-1 victory, effectively ending Austin’s hopes for a postseason berth.
With a final record of 8-14-10, Austin FC can now finish with a maximum of 40 points, falling two points short of the ninth-place Colorado Rapids in the Western Conference. This marks the third time in the last four seasons that the club has missed the playoffs, extending a postseason drought that has persisted since their 2022 Western Conference semifinal run. The team now shifts its focus entirely to the 2027 MLS sprint season as it looks to rebuild its competitive standing.
Source: Yahoo Sports
