Matchday 11 of the 2025 Major League Soccer campaign sees Austin FC and Minnesota United go head-to-head against each other at the Q2 Stadium on Sunday morning.
Level on points in the MLS table as things stand, the teams have made vastly similar starts to the season, and there is little to choose between them heading into this weekend's encounter.
Match preview
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Having claimed wins in each of their final three games in March, Austin FC approached their four-match slate in April brimming with confidence, but things did not go as planned for Nico Estevez's men.
Los Verdes got things underway with a goalless stalemate against Portland Timbers on April 6 before suffering their heaviest defeat this term courtesy of a 5-1 defeat against Vancouver Whitecaps one week later.
Austin managed to give themselves a much-needed reprieve by narrowly beating defending champions Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 shortly afterwards. However, any momentum from that win was quickly extinguished by a 2-0 defeat to Houston Dynamo last time out.
Despite their recent struggles, Austin are third in the Western Conference standings at the moment with 16 points amassed from a possible 30, although they are now seven points adrift of leaders Vancouver Whitecaps.
Currently with the joint-fewest goals scored in the division (seven), Sunday's hosts have some stepping up to do at the top end of the pitch if they are to get back to winning ways on league duty four days before kicking off their US Open Cup campaign.
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Minnesota United came away empty-handed from their season opener against Los Angeles FC, which ended in a 1-0 defeat, but went unbeaten across their subsequent eight matches to ignite their league journey.
Off the back of consecutive stalemates, Eric Ramsay's men saw their wait for a first win since April 6 extended as they fell to a comprehensive 3-1 defeat against Vancouver Whitecaps at Allianz Field on Sunday.
The Loons had conceded just one goal in four matches prior to their last outing, where they were breached three times in 15 second-half minutes before Wil Trapp pulled one back in the dying embers.
A chance to get themselves back to winning ways now awaits Minnesota United this weekend, although their record against Austin does not make for good with three defeats and only one win from the last four meetings.
Since their season-opening defeat in Los Angeles, this weekend's away side are unbeaten in each of their last four away outings ahead of Saturday's trip to Texas, where they emerged 2-1 victors on their last visit.
Team News
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Twenty-six-year-old Brandon Vazquez missed Austin's most recent outing through illness and is currently doubtful for this weekend's encounter as well.
Daniel Pereira came off with a muscle problem against Houston, making his involvement for the home side highly uncertain, although Mikkel Desler remains a guaranteed absentee due to a hamstring problem.
Minnesota midfielder Hassani Dotson last made an appearance in the final week of March as he continues to nurse a knee problem, ruling him out of contention.
Owen Gene is set to sit out a fifth straight game for the visitors through an ankle problem, but the Frenchman is nearing a return to action in the coming weeks.
Austin FC possible starting lineup:
Stuver; Biro, Cascante, Svatok, Gallagher; Sabovic, Sanchez, Wolff; Obrian, Uzuni, Bukari
Minnesota United possible starting lineup:
St Clair; Rosales, Romero, Boxall, Harvey, Hlongwane; Lod, Trapp, Pereyra; Yeboah, Oluwaseyi
We say: Austin FC 1-1 Minnesota United
Goals have been hard to come by for the teams in recent games, but we can see both of them finding the back of the net here en route to a share of the spoils at the end of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adepoju Marvellous
