Austin FC and 20-year-old attacking prospectus Owen Wolff will try to continue their promising start to the season on Sunday afternoon when they meet an expansion San Diego FC page that has not yet experienced defeat through their first four MLS matches.
Wolff has helped both goals this season for Austin FC (2-2-0, 6 points), which received a 1-0 upset victory at LAFC last weekend even their record under First-year manager Nico Estevez.
Wolff’s contribution to Guilherme Biros 11-minute Tally marked the 10th assistant for his career, making Wolff the ninth MLS player to reach that performance before his 21st birthday.
“I think this is a good season for him because of the profile for players he is, and the profile of players we don’t have who he is,” Estevez said. “He brings with him a player who has a really good understanding of playing between the lines. A really good acceleration and dribling forward and also has a really good pass behind the backline.”
Wolff’s attacking contribution has been enough for an Austin page that has focused on becoming much stiffer defensively under Estevez and only allows twice so far.
San Diego (2-0-2, 8 points) has also admitted only twice, the latter goal comes early in a 1-1 home deduction against 10-man Columbus last Saturday.
Onni Valakari pulled the host level in the 69th minute for the first home goal in San Diego’s MLS history. Anders Dreyer has received three times and leads manager Mikey Vara’s’ Club, which has won both their away matching.
Both sides will deal with international absence when MLS plays through FIFA’s match window in March, although San Diego may be more significant.
Northern Ireland’s defender Paddy McNair and Panama midfielder Anibal Godoy had started all four matches for the expansion suit before leaving the squad this week. The latter captained his nation to a 1-0 victory over the United States in Thursday’s Concacaf Nations League semi-final.
Varas said he just wants to see a consistent intensity level from his development group.
“At the end of the day we will have good games and bad games, technically and tactically, because it is life,” Varas said. “But what should not be negotiable is our struggle and to have the spirit to be humble, respect the game and the opponent and our society and make sure we always give a huge effort.”
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