Austin FC vs Minnesota United score: 3 takeaways from Verde's 2-2 MLS draw

Christian Ramírez continues to be clutch

Austin FC seemed headed for a loss after Joaquín Pereyra scored to put Minnesota ahead in the 77th minute on a give-and-go from James Rodriguez where the Verde & Black were poor defensively. But two minutes later, Ramírez tied the match to give Austin FC its third straight result. Ramírez, whom the club picked up five days after the season started, has been better than anyone could anticipate at age 35. He now has four goals and an assist, which all have come in wins or draws. “This is why we brought him in,” Austin FC coach Nico Estévez said. “We believe in him as a player and a person.” It’s not just his production, either. Ramírez is solid in the run of play and makes smart decisions. His playing time figures to dwindle once Brandon Vazquez is able to start, but he’s already been worth whatever his salary is.

Luck evening out for Austin FC?

One can make an argument the Verde & Black were lucky with Ramírez’s goal — it deflected off a Minnesota defender — and Uzuni’s score on a penalty — Mikkel Desler’s shot randomly hit a Loons player in the hand in the box to draw it — and wouldn’t be wrong. However, it’s hard to say Austin FC has had a lot of luck this season with its injury issues. (Winger Jayden Nelson was unavailable Sunday. Owen Wolff, Dani Pereira and Brandon Vazquez are limited to 25 minutes or less due to returning from injuries, and Hines-Ike now may not play again until July.) And while Sunday the Verde & Black may have gotten some fortunate bounces, they may have been due.

Austin FC struggled on defense in the second half.

Anthony Markanich beat Ilie Sánchez on a header for Minnesota’s first goal and Pereyra was left wide open on the second. Though Rodriguez provided two solid assists, the club can’t continue to give up goals in the final 25 minutes like it has this season. “We have to do better when teams overload one side,” Estévez said. Desler put it more bluntly. “We became too passive in how we put pressure on them,” he said. “They had too much time to build up their attack in our half of the field. We defended for too long and then were tired when we got the ball.”

Bottom line

With a result being difficult to come by Wednesday, this was a good outcome for Austin FC. (As Desler put it: “A draw is acceptable.”) The club needs to focus on winning Saturday’s home game against Kansas City, which is the worst team in the league and just got hammered 6-0 by Portland, then producing a draw May 23 at St. Louis. If it does that, Austin FC will have had a very successful final month before the World Cup break with 11 points in six matches.