The U.S. Open Cup achieved its goal at Austin Football Club.
In the second game in the game, Cape Verde and Black scored no hassle when they beat Houston 3-1 in 16 rounds at the stadium in the second quarter.
Brandon Vazquez, Osman Bukari and Ilie Sánchez attacked the goal for Austin FC, who led 3-0 in the middle of the second half and will find their quarter-final opponent on Thursday.
Here are some key gains from the game as Verde & Black returns to the league game on a tough road race in Minnesota on Saturday:
Austin Football Club isn't the best Wednesday, but when you score, it's OK.
This year, Verde & Black has performed well this year with little performance, so Karma may have provided them with some competition.
"I think we played better before...but the goal is to get to the next round," said Austin Football Club coach Nico Estévez. "One thing we are missing (this season) is winning the box, and today we win the game while we win it."
Houston dominated possession with 68% shooting, which usually determines the game, but when it gets the chance, it can't shoot on the target, while Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver doesn't have to make any noticeable savings.
Meanwhile, Cape Verde and Black people capitalize when needed.
Vazquez’s goal was to settle in the box a pointed cross, turning and shooting at sharp angles, an impressive show of skills and shows why the club paid $10 million in the offseason to pry him off from CF Monterrey.
Whether Bukari should be converted to Austin Football Club fines is controversial, but Verde & Black is pushing the attack. The Ghana National team players are excellent and can build Sanchez's goal by beating the defenders and finding teammates in the middle of the game.
If CJ Fodrey doesn't miss the opening opportunity later in the second half, the scoring line will be even more frustrated.
"We had some good moments in the last two games of the translation tonight," Steffer said. "We have to continue that."
Apparently, Austin FC emphasizes the best efforts for the U.S. Open.
While Houston sat most of the better players in the first half and then took almost all of them to various positions in the second half, Estévez (as he did in the 32-round match against El Paso) played a starting lineup that didn't get any eyebrows. Central defender Brendan Hines-ake is the only regular who has not played.
Almost all coaches say they take every game seriously, but when he says "we have ambitions in every game and every game," you tend to believe in Estévez rather than attribute it to CoachSpeak.
Jon Gallagher said the players at Austin Football Club seemed to be involved in the game as well - "We want to compete for the trophy," and now the club is reaching the quarter-finals, which should be emphasized in the surrounding league matches in early July.
Bukari's second straight game was getting more and more right, and his speed plagued Houston's defense. His assists against Sanchez were the second best game in the game, only behind Vazquez's goal. If Bukari continues this form, it will promote the Austin FC offense that struggles in MLS games this season.
(The player's ratings are 1-10, with 10 of them the highest.)
forward: Jáder Obrian6, Brandon Vazquez 8, Osman Bukari 8
Midfielder: Owen Wolff 6, Ilie Sánchez 6, Nicolás Dubersarsky 5.5
defense: Bilo 6, Julio Cascanter 6, Swatok 6.5, Jon Gallagher
goalkeeper: Brad Stuffer 7
submarine: Myrto Uzuni 5, Besard Sabovic 5, Diego Rubio 5.5, Zan Kolmanic 5, CJ Fodrey NA