Austin FC’s Playoff Journey: A Season of Redemption and Tonight’s Must-Win Battle
As the sun sets over Q2 Stadium this evening, Austin FC faces the biggest match of their 2025 season. Down 1-0 in their best-of-three playoff series against LAFC, the Verde & Black must win tonight to keep their postseason dreams alive. For a team that has fought tooth and nail to return to the playoffs after two difficult years, this match represents everything the club has worked toward.
A Season of Resilience
The 2025 campaign has been a story of redemption for Austin FC. After missing the playoffs in both 2023 and 2024—culminating in the departure of founding head coach Josh Wolff—the Verde & Black entered this season with something to prove. Under new leadership, the club rebuilt itself around a foundation of defensive solidity and determination.
The results speak for themselves: Austin FC finished sixth in the Western Conference with 47 points, marking the second-highest points total and second-highest finishing position in the club’s five-year history. While the offense didn’t always dazzle, the defense showed remarkable improvement. Austin conceded just 17 goals at home this season, the second-lowest total in the Western Conference behind only LAFC’s 13.
This defensive transformation came with a trade-off. The Verde scored just 18 goals at Q2 Stadium during the regular season, fewer than any other Western Conference club at home. But when you can’t be scored on, you don’t need to score many—and Austin’s defensive grit has been their calling card all year.
What This Playoff Run Means
For Austin FC, this postseason appearance is about more than just wins and losses. It’s validation. After the disappointment of back-to-back playoff misses, qualifying for the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs represents a return to relevance for a club that captured hearts with a Western Conference Finals run in just their second season.
For the fans who have sold out all 70 MLS regular season and playoff matches in club history, this playoff appearance is a reward for unwavering loyalty. The raucous atmosphere at Q2 Stadium—one of the most intimidating venues in MLS—will be on full display tonight as supporters pack the stands one more time, desperate to will their team to victory.
The Brothers hit the Capo Stand.🫀@McConaughey & Woody Harrelson will get us started on Sunday night with the Heartbeat of Austin! pic.twitter.com/UiWgyffncq
— Austin FC (@AustinFC) October 31, 2025
For the city of Austin, a soccer community that has embraced this team since day one, every playoff match is a celebration of how far the city has come as a soccer market. Austin FC has proven that MLS can thrive in Texas, and nights like tonight showcase why this city deserves a team competing for championships.
Game 1: A Cruel Lesson in Playoff Football
Wednesday’s 2-1 loss in Los Angeles was a heartbreaker. Austin equalized through Jon Gallagher just after the hour mark when Owen Wolff played a quick pass that Gallagher slotted home from close range. For a brief moment, the Verde & Black had grabbed momentum on the road.
But playoff football is unforgiving. LAFC substitute Nathan Ordaz scored the game-winner in the 79th minute, his first-ever postseason goal, after Son Heung-Min slid a pass to Denis Bouanga, whose deflected shot allowed Ordaz to tap in at the back post.
Despite the loss, Austin showed they can compete with LAFC. The team’s counter-attacking style caused problems for the hosts, and the Verde stayed organized defensively for long stretches. That performance should provide confidence heading into tonight’s must-win scenario.
Tonight’s Stakes: Win or Go Home
The math is simple: lose tonight, and Austin’s season ends. Win, and the series goes to a decisive Game 3 in Los Angeles next Saturday. With a victory at Q2 Stadium on Sunday, LAFC can avoid a Game 3 and would advance to the conference semifinals for the fourth straight season.
LAFC comes to Austin as heavy favorites. They’ve been one of the West’s elite teams all season, and the addition of South Korean superstar Son Heung-Min in August has made them even more dangerous. However, LAFC hasn’t won at Q2 Stadium since October 2023, and the Black & Gold has struggled earning results in Texas, going 1-8-3 in road matches against Western Conference foes in Texas since the start of their 2022 season.
For Austin, the formula is clear: defend with the intensity that defined their season, make Q2 Stadium a fortress, and capitalize on the counter-attack. Austin beat LAFC 1-0 twice during the regular season, proving they have the blueprint to frustrate their opponent.
Light up the playoffs! 💡
— Austin FC (@AustinFC) November 1, 2025
Download the Austin FC app and follow these instructions to participate in Sunday night's pre-match light show, presented by @HEB!
Download here: https://t.co/0R7VS6qzGC pic.twitter.com/24DrwN8mGr
Key Matchups to Watch
Son Heung-Min vs. Austin’s Defense: The South Korean international didn’t score in Game 1 but remains LAFC’s most dangerous player. Austin’s backline must limit his space and force him into uncomfortable positions.
Denis Bouanga’s Finishing: Bouanga sits one goal away from reaching 100 goals for LAFC across all competitions, with six of his 99 goals scored against Austin. Keeping him quiet will be essential.
Austin’s Counter-Attack: Owen Wolff, Jon Gallagher, and Myrto Uzuni must make LAFC pay when opportunities arise. In a tight playoff match, one moment of brilliance could be the difference.
The Q2 Stadium Atmosphere: Never underestimate the power of 20,000 screaming fans in verde and black. LAFC midfielder Timmy Tillman acknowledged the challenge: “It’s always super hard to play in Austin… they have a good crowd, they have a good field, they have a lot of confidence playing at home.”
The Road Ahead
Should Austin pull off the victory tonight, they’ll travel back to Los Angeles for Game 3 next Saturday, knowing they can beat LAFC on any given night. A series win would send them to the Western Conference Semifinals to face the winner of Vancouver vs. FC Dallas.
But none of that matters if Austin can’t take care of business tonight at Q2 Stadium.
This is what the 2025 season has been building toward. After two years of disappointment, Austin FC fought their way back to the playoffs. Now, with their backs against the wall and their season on the line, they have one more chance to show their city, their fans, and themselves that they belong among MLS’s elite.
Tonight at Q2 Stadium, the Verde & Black will leave everything on the field. For Austin FC, for their supporters, and for a city that loves its soccer team, there’s no tomorrow unless they win today.
Kickoff: 7:30 PM CT
Venue: Q2 Stadium, Austin, TX
TV: MLS Season Pass (free for Apple TV subscribers), FS1, FOX Deportes
Radio: Alt 97.5 (English), TUDN Radio Austin 104.3-HD2 (Spanish)
¡Dale, dale, dale Austin!
One person is dead and two others are injured after a shooting in downtown San Marcos Saturday night, police said. Two suspects are still at large.
San Marcos police responded to reports of multiple gunshots near Kissing Alley on the square at about 10 p.m. Saturday, according to the San Marcos Police Department.
Three victims were transported to area hospitals. One victim died, police said.
Mustang Ridge police had to track down the driver of a vehicle involved in a crash late last night.
Reports overnight of a collision between a car and a scooter near W. 23rd Street.
No other information has been provided.
Meanwhile, one person died early Saturday in Bee Cave after they were struck by a vehicle.
Kyle police are warning parents after receiving a report of a razor blade found in a wrapped piece of Halloween candy.
Also in Kyle, a deceased person was found.
Austin Energy customers will start to see an increase in their utility bills.
Delta is significantly expanding its presence at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport with four new nonstop routes to Denver, Columbus, Kansas City, and Miami. The Denver route will launch on November 9, with twice-daily service, while Miami service will begin on November 22. Columbus and Kansas City routes are scheduled to start on June 7, 2026.
In addition to the new routes, Delta is increasing service on existing routes to San Francisco (expanding from one to two daily flights starting April 13, 2026) and Indianapolis (growing from one to three daily flights beginning June 7, 2026).
With these additions, Delta now serves nearly 30 destinations from Austin and has carried more than one million passengers to and from the airport this year—a 12% increase year over year. The expansion makes Delta the second-largest carrier at Austin’s airport, positioning it as a major competitor in this rapidly growing market.
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: DAY 33
Austin city officials are reminding SNAP recipients about expected delays and where they can find assistance.
The effects of the SNAP benefit delay are being felt all across Texas.
HOUSTON
DALLAS – FORT WORTH
SAN ANTONIO
Veteran’s Day activities are planned for the ATX.
Hopefully, you know by now…but just a reminder:
Daylight Saving Time ended at 2:00 a.m. this morning.
Changes After “Falling Back”
Sunrise:
- Before DST ended (Saturday, Nov 1): 7:46 a.m. (the latest sunrise of 2024)
- After DST ended (Sunday, Nov 2): 6:47 a.m. – 59 minutes earlier
Sunset:
- After DST ended (Sunday, Nov 2): 5:41 p.m.
- The earliest sunset of the year will arrive on November 24 at 5:30 p.m. – just 11 minutes earlier than today
What This Means
When we “fall back” and gain an extra hour, the sunrise happens much earlier in the morning (almost a full hour earlier), while the sunset only shifts slightly. Sunrises will return to 7 a.m. on November 19, and the latest sunrises during Standard Time occur in early January at 7:28 a.m.
From Austin American-Statesman
WEATHER
SATURDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
HURRICANE MELISSSA DOES EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN JAMAICA
An update from Earthquake Track:
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is front and center as he seeks to defeat Texas’ senior senator, John Cornyn, in next year’s Republican primary. (New York Tmes)
State Sen. Angela Paxton talks about her career as an educator, the actions needed to improve public education, and her fight to protect children in and out of the classroom.
Opinion piece via Houston Chronicle.
With less than one week before candidates can begin filing their campaign paperwork, a panel of three federal judges in El Paso has yet to issue a ruling on whether to uphold the newly approved Texas congressional maps for the 2026 elections. (CBS News)
Retired Texans fuel a billion-dollar economy in Texas’ four southernmost counties. (My San Antonio)
The state program intended to give additional exposure to businesses owned by women, minorities and disabled veterans seeking state contracts was frozen by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ office this week, the latest instance of Republican state officials targeting a program perceived as promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. (Texas Public Radio)
Through September 2025, Houston recorded 211 homicides, compared to 247 during the same period in 2024 – representing a decline of about 14.6%. In 2024, murders in Houston fell to a five-year low.
But problems persist:
A Trump administration proposal would strip Texas’ more than 86,000 DACA recipients of their work permits — including two nurses who say they’ll move to other states if that happens. (Texas Tribune)
East Texas farmer and firefighter Bobby Cole has the distinction of being the first to announce a run challenging Governor Greg Abbott, and while that field has gotten more crowded since, he’s also distinctive in his grassroots origins – Cole has never held office before, and that’s what a lot of his followers like most about him. Progress Texas‘ Reagan Stone talked to Cole before an audience hosted by the Davis County Democratic Party at the Davis Mountains Resort.
(Episode from November 1, 2025)
Even after 189 years, the tale of the Alamo remains one of the most debated pieces of Texas history. And it continues to produce casualties to this day. Just this week, the person at the center of the reconstruction around the Alamo was forced out after Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick objected to something she wrote for her college dissertation. Columnist Chris Tomlinson joins the show to talk about the latest drama around the iconic mission. Plus, reporter Ryan Nickerson digs into who might be the next member of Congress from Texas. And finally, Houston Democrat Andrew White stops by the show to explain why he is running for governor again and what lessons from his father’s winning 1982 campaign have been incorporated into his bid to defeat Greg Abbott next year.
(Episode from November 1, 2025)
We’re not talking about politics. Is the Texas State Capitol building itself literally radioactive?
(Episode from October 23, 2025)
Texas Rep. Chip Roy and Senator Ted Cruz were in Williamson County last night to record an episode of Cruz’s podcast The Verdict with Ted Cruz
SPORTS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The No. 20 Texas Longhorns built a big lead today but had to hold off a huge rally by Vanderbilt to claim a 34-31 win.
Arch Manning threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns for Texas, while Diego Pavia threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns.
Texas has won four straight and improves to 7-2, while Vanderbilt falls to 7-2. (Texas Longhorns)
Does Texas still have a chance at the postseason?
ON THE SCHEDULE
The Longhorns are off next Saturday and will use that time to prepare for another huge SEC match on November 15.
IN OTHER GAMES
Behren Morton threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns in his return from an injury, J’Koby Williams ran for 135 yards and a score, and No. 13 Texas Tech romped past sloppy, mistake-prone Kansas State 43-20 on Saturday.
Cameron Dickey also had a touchdown run for the Red Raiders (8-1, 5-1 Big 12), who forced five turnovers while snapping an eight-game losing streak against the Wildcats. (Yahoo! Sports)
Meanwhile, the Houston Cougars are likely to fall out of the college football rankings after a loss on the road Saturday. (Yahoo! Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE
NFL: While the Dallas Cowboys sit today in preparation for the game tomorrow night, the Houston Texans are looking to keep their recent winning streak going.
Monday Night Football tomorrow night for Dallas.
NBA: A win for the Rockets last night…a loss for the Mavericks.
Kevin Durant scored 26 points in three quarters before resting the fourth, Amen Thompson added 17 points and nine rebounds, and the Houston Rockets beat the Boston Celtics 128-101 on Saturday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
Jalen Duren had a career high 33 points and also pulled down 10 rebounds, Cade Cunningham added 21 points with 18 assists and the Detroit Pistons pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Dallas Mavericks 122-110 in Mexico City on Saturday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
Dallas and Houston are off tonight.
The San Antonio Spurs take their 5-0 record to Phoenix tonight.
STANDINGS
Conservation Easements are an option some landowners choose to protect their land from fragmentation. There are a variety of resources to help landowners with the process.
