Sebastian Driussi’s goal in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time was the difference as Austin FC roared from behind to beat visiting Sporting Kansas City 4-3 on Saturday in a wild Western Conference match.
Driussi’s goal, his league-leading 17th of the season, came after a crossing pass from Ethan Finlay and caught Kansas City goalkeeper John Pulskamp flatfooted. Driussi has now been involved in at least one goal in a league-best 17 different games this season and contributed to a goal in eight straight MLS matches.
Austin (14-5-6, 48 points) fell down by two goals late in the first half but rallied by scoring the final three of the game. Austin tied the match in the 85th minute when Danny Hoesen volleyed home a goal off a spot-on lob pass from Felipe Martins.
Kansas City (6-15-5, 23 points) jumped to the lead in the 12th kick when Andreu Fontas swept into the goalmouth to send home the rebound of a direct free kick by Erik Thommy.
Thommy’s free kick knuckled through the Austin defensive wall and all the way to goalkeeper Brad Stuver, who got both his arms on the ball but could not corral it. Fontas was in the right place at the right time to clean up the rebound.
The visitors expanded their lead in the 23rd minute, as William Agada was the beneficiary of another rebound opportunity, this time after Roger Espinoza got behind the Austin defense and blasted a shot off Stuver.
Austin got back in the match just four minutes later. Jon Gallagher hit a low strike into the left corner from just outside the area after a corner kick pinballed through and out of the box.
Kansas City then went back up by two goals via a penalty kick tally by Johnny Russell in the 40th minute after Thommy drew a foul from Finlay.
Austin cut into the lead in the 63rd minute when Julio Cascante headed home a shot by Driussi that a Kansas City defender deflected in the scrum after a corner kick.
–Field Level Media
