Capitalizing on a pair of San Jose mistakes, Austin FC leapfrogged the Earthquakes in the MLS standings with a 3-1 win at Q2 Stadium Saturday night, just its second win at home over the past four months.
San Jose coach Bruce Arena bemoaned giveaways that led to a goal by Austin’s Myrto Uzuni in the 33rd minute and an own goal by the Earthquakes in the 77th minute. Arena noted that Austin’s win in San Jose in July came courtesy of two bad fouls leading to a pair of penalty kick scores, and ultimately an Austin win on penalty kicks.
“Austin’s probably gonna ask the league if they could play us four or six times next year, because we’ve played them two times this year and we just handed them goals,” Arena said in jest.
San Jose (9-12-8, 35 points) fell into ninth place in the Western Conference, the last playoff position, with just five games remaining in the regular season. The loss was the Quakes’ fourth in six matches and dropped them to just 2-5-3 over their last 10 games.
“Hopefully we can be better. We gave away easily two goals today,” Arena said. “The second and third goals are disgraceful. That has to be on me as the coach of this team. Give Austin credit, they capitalize on those mistakes. … The mistakes we made today are not going to position us to win games or get a point.”
The victory by Austin (10-9-8, 38 points) in front of 20,738 fans ended its three-match winless streak. Its last victory was a 4-2 win over D.C. United on July 26. Austin also took over eighth place in the standings from San Jose.
“We’re coming down to the end of the season, and it’s the playoff push. Everybody knows what’s on the line,” said San Jose forward Ousseni Bouda. “We want to make the playoffs, and we have a good team. A team that should make the playoffs. … Five games left. Time to give it our best.”
Osman Bukari gave Austin a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute by finishing off a perfectly timed through ball by Owen Wolff at the far post. While that score was a work of art, Austin’s second score was made possible by a rough defensive sequence by San Jose.
Bukari set up the score by playing the ball across the face of the goal and it was deflected to Uzuni, who tapped it in from right in front for his fourth goal in the last six games.
San Jose’s lone goal came when defender Daniel Munie scored unassisted in the 53rd minute, pulling the Quakes within 2-1. It was Munie’s second goal this season and for his career.
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The Quakes’ Chicho Arango almost equalized things but his shot from the top of the box was deflected and then tipped over the crossbar by Austin goalkeeper by Brad Stuver over the crossbar. It was one of his four saves.
Austin later regained a two-goal lead on an own goal on a ball played by Bukari that was deflected into the net by San Jose defender Bruno Wilson in the 77th minute.
The Earthquakes are idle until Sept. 13 when they host Los Angeles FC.
