Miami Draw Proves Austin FC Can Compete With League’s Best

Walking through a maze of chain-link fences, past the diggers and excavators and gravel piles to the steps of Nu Stadium just hours before the anticipated grand opening of Inter Miami’s billion-dollar permanent home, it was almost comical to think that Austin FC would be able to do anything to diminish the celebration of a South Florida soccer milestone.

This, the new home of the defending MLS Cup champions and their two-time reigning league MVP, who also happens to be the greatest player in the history of the sport, would surely be christened with a resounding victory over a wounded group of relatively anonymous Verde and Black foes.

If that’s the way you bet it, better luck next time.

Instead, Austin FC produced arguably its best performance of the season to hold Inter Miami to a 2-2 draw, and even got to claim the first goal in Nu Stadium history, by way of Guilherme Biro.

“The environment and the atmosphere and everything for this game, it was big. I think we felt that. And I think the players, from the initial whistle, went after the game,” said ATX head coach Nico Estévez.

Inter Miami never led at any point during the first match at its new home. After Biro’s opening goal, Lionel Messi responded quickly with a headed equalizer for 1-1. But Jayden Nelson’s breakaway goal in the 53rd minute threatened to hold up as a winning strike, until Luis Suárez leveled things off a corner kick in the 82nd.

“First off, we’re a bit frustrated… I think we could have won today,” Nelson said, before acknowledging what Austin FC has demonstrated now in consecutive games, first by holding LAFC to a goalless draw on March 21, and then against Inter Miami Saturday night.

“Those are two of the top teams in the league, you know? So we just have to continue and keep building on this, and the results will come, because you can see that each game we’re getting better.”

Against clubs like LAFC and Inter Miami, Austin – like just about every other club in MLS – is perpetually in the underdog role. Even a full-strength ATXFC, with the likes of Owen Wolff, Brandon Vázquez, and Dani Pereira all healthy, there is a talent gap that will be difficult for smaller-market clubs like Austin to ever bridge.

In lieu of top-end talent, clubs like Austin must find their advantages on the margins, by out-working, out-scheming, and out-“team”-ing their opponents. And that starts with coaching.

Despite neither resulting in wins, it’s been a highly successful last two games for Estévez, who has now proven to his players – including several, like Nelson, who are still getting used to things at Austin FC – that he can put them in positions to compete against the league’s best.

“I think everyone is believing in what we are doing. And you can see that the reward is going to come,” Estévez said.

From purely a results standpoint, it’s still been a difficult start to the season for the Verde and Black, with just one win through six games. As impressive as the back-to-back draws against LA and Miami are, the next step is to start collecting wins, especially at home.

The club has a great chance to grab one this weekend against the LA Galaxy, who will also be in search of a second win of the season when the clubs line up at Q2 Stadium for a rare Saturday afternoon matinee.

For more Austin FC news and analysis, visit The Austin Chronicle’s Austin FC hub. Sign up for The Verde Report newsletter to get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox, and follow The Verde Report columnist Eric Goodman on X: @goodman.

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