Nelson and Uzuni Give Austin FC a Much-Needed 2-0 Win Over Houston

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin FC fans had called it a "must-win," and for once, Verde obliged. On a clear, 86-degree Saturday night at Q2 Stadium, Jayden Nelson and Myrto Uzuni scored in the first half, Brad Stuver made two big saves in the second, and Austin beat in-state rival Houston Dynamo FC 2-0 for its second win of the season. The attendance of 20,738 marked the club's 93rd consecutive MLS home sellout, the longest active streak in the league.

It was not complicated, and it did not need to be. Austin scored early, scored again at the end of the half, and then did the unglamorous work of not conceding.

A Goal Worth Waiting For

The opener came in the 13th minute and it was a good one. Austin worked the ball through the Dynamo defense with a series of quick passes, with Uzuni and Christian Ramirez trading touches at the top of the box before Nelson got the ball, took a touch to set up his right foot, and hit a shot that kissed the far post on its way in. Verde All Day noted that the goal touched all four of Austin's starting attackers: Uzuni, Ramirez, Facundo Torres and Nelson.

The goal was a reminder of what Austin can do when the pieces fit. It was also the kind of thing Austin fans had been waiting all spring to see.

Uzuni's Free Kick

The second goal came in first-half stoppage time, in the 45+2 minute. Torres won a free kick on the edge of the area after a foul by Dynamo captain Artur, and Austin chose a set-piece play: Joseph Rosales laid the ball off, and Uzuni struck a powerful shot toward goal. It deflected off the Dynamo wall and past goalkeeper Jonathan Bond, who dove the wrong way as the ball trickled over the line.

The Albanian forward had been close all night. In the 35th minute, Verde All Day wrote, he escaped a defender in the corner, hit the post, collected the rebound and sent a second shot just wide. Before the half was out, he had his goal anyway.

The Cost of the Night

Not everything went Austin's way. Nelson went off in the 38th minute and was replaced by Jon Gallagher. Verde All Day described it as a non-contact injury, possibly a hamstring, and with Canada's World Cup roster decisions looming it was a worrying sight on an otherwise good night.

Houston Searches for a Way In

The Dynamo had their moments. Bond made a diving parry in the 27th minute to keep it at 1-0, and finished with three saves. Héctor Herrera tested Stuver from distance in the 30th minute. Sam Vines forced Stuver to get low and push away a left-footed shot in the 44th. And in the 56th, Guilherme lined up a free kick from about 30 yards and forced Stuver into a diving save at the near post, drawing an appreciative chant from the home crowd.

Houston's best late chance came in the 87th minute, when Guilherme unleashed a powerful right-footed shot that Stuver managed to tip over the crossbar. It preserved the clean sheet.

Returns and Roles

There were meaningful returns on the Houston side. Captain Artur, who had been recovering from a knee injury suffered in the preseason, came back into the starting lineup. Midfielder Jack McGlynn made his first appearance since March 21 at FC Dallas, entering as a second-half substitute. Neither was enough to change the result.

For Austin, the lineup was loaded. Uzuni, Ramirez, Torres and Nelson all started. Owen Wolff, still recovering, was not among the 20 on the matchday roster. Austin coach Nico Estévez pulled Torres and Guilherme Biro for Besard Šabović and Jon Bell in the 84th minute to see the game out.

The Numbers

A few facts frame the night. Austin held a 2-0 lead for the entire second half. It was its third shutout of the season and the second shutout win. Austin's all-time home record against Houston in all competitions is now 7-1-1, and those seven wins are the club's most at home against any single opponent. The match took place in front of the official announced crowd of 20,738, and the weather was clear and 86 degrees at kickoff.

Verde All Day pointed to one more stat that tells you about the night: after dominating the early minutes, Austin finished the match with just under 50 percent of possession. In other words, Houston had the ball and Austin had the points.

What It Means

Austin had won once before this game. Verde All Day called a second win in the 10th game of the season "late," but also "welcome," and it was hard to disagree. The team looked organized, the attackers clicked, and the defense, which had been prone to late goals, stayed tight until the final whistle.

For Houston, the brightest moment was the return of its captain. The Dynamo are back in action at home against Louisville City in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, April 29.

The Close

Austin's next test is Sunday, May 3 at 4:30 p.m. CT, at home against St. Louis City SC, on Apple TV. The question for Estévez's team is whether this was a turning point or a one-night reprieve. The answer starts Sunday.

Photo Credit: Osvaldo Castro/Undrafted