
Spoelstra: No need to penalize Ball any further
Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
Austin FC suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to USL side Louisville City FC in the U.S. Open Cup, prompting apologies from both coach Nico Estévez and goalie Damian Las. Estévez acknowledged the team's poor performance and the need for improvement.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 4: Facundo Torres #11 of Austin FC calls for the ball during the first half of a match between Inter Miami CF and Austin FC at Nu Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) (Eston Parker/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Itâs never a good sign when a soccer coach and player apologize postgame for a performance.
That was the case for Austin FC on Tuesday, when both Verde & Black manager Nico EstĂ©vez and goalie Damian Las grimly tried to get a grasp on the teamâs dismal showing following a 2-1 loss to Louisville City FC in a U.S. Open Cup match at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville.
âWe deserved this result,â a somber EstĂ©vez said. âIâm having a tough time understanding (the performance). I have to be better and put our guys in better positions to succeed.â
After a mostly subpar performance Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy, when it was extremely flat for most of the match, Austin FC looked the same in the first half Tuesday. And one could argue it looked worse.
The Verde & Black lacked energy, didnât seem to have a clear idea of what they wanted to do with possession, were outplayed and entered halftime trailing 2-0.
But this opponent was from the second tier of the U.S. soccer pyramid, not the MLS, and it came in a knockout competition Austin FC played in the final of last season.
âI think they wanted it more,â Las said, bluntly. âItâs unacceptable. ⊠We did not meet their intensity. ⊠We came out slow collectively. ⊠And not winning individual battles was a (problem).â
Las was in an unusual position.
He made his senior team debut for Austin FC against the club he was loaned out to by the Verde & Black the last two seasons. He fared well with several quality saves, but any joy from his performance and appearance was muted by the clubâs loss.
âI just tried to approach it as a normal game,â said Las, who said he appreciated EstĂ©vez giving him the opportunity. âBut it was special to debut against (Louisville).â
Sean Totschâs header on a corner kick and Tola Showunmiâs redirection of a cross in a six-minute span midway through the first half gave the hosts their 2-0 lead.
It turned out to be enough.
Austin FC was the better side in the second half, though outside of a 15-minute stretch that included CJ Fodreyâs goal on a cross from Joseph Rosales, it didnât exactly dominate.
âWe didnât handle their physicality well,â EstĂ©vez said. âAnd we didnât play 90 minutes. We only played 45 minutes.â
Thereâs no sugarcoating this result, which looks worse for Austin FC coming after Saturday.
The Verde & Black are 1-4-3 in all competitions this season, and a loss against a USL Championship squad is embarrassing and will linger a few days.
But the U.S. Open Cup is a competition where if a club doesnât win it, it might as well lose as early as possible. Thereâs no glory in making a run to the quarterfinals â quick, name all eight quarterfinalists from a year ago â and for an Austin FC team that seems to always be dealing with injuries, fewer matches might be a good thing.
(Itâs unclear if Dani Pereira re-injured his hamstring when he left the match in the 11th minute.)
Most also forget that in the clubâs banner 2022 season, when it finished second in the Western Conference and advanced to the conference final in the playoffs, it lost to USL side San Antonio FC in the U.S. Open Cup at exactly the same stage.
Austin FC plays at Toronto on Saturday when it returns to MLS play. Itâs a game-by-game situation for the club with its health issues, but from a big picture perspective, Austin FC needs to weather the eight games before the World Cup break to make sure itâs not in a desperate position when the season restarts in late July.
At least it wonât have the U.S. Open Cup to worry about.
Austin FC lost to Louisville City FC with a final score of 2-1.
Coach Nico Estévez apologized due to the team's dismal performance, stating they deserved the loss and he needed to improve their positioning.
The article does not specify who scored the goals for Louisville City FC.
The loss in the U.S. Open Cup reflects poorly on Austin FC's performance and raises concerns about their ability to compete effectively moving forward.

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