Mikkel Desler’s first MLS goal and five saves by Brad Stuver helped Austin FC end an eight-match winless streak with a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids in Commerce City, Colo., on Saturday.
Desler scored in the sixth minute and an own goal by Colorado’s Rafael Navarro in the 66th minute doubled the score as Austin (6-7-5, 23 points) ended an 0-4-4 run with its first win since April 19 vs. the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy.
Colorado (6-7-4, 22 points) has lost two straight and five of seven.
Desler, who has 10 starts in his 13 appearances over the past two seasons, finished what Osman Bukari started.
Bukari dribbled toward the right post and forced a save by Nico Hansen (five saves), who spilled the rebound. Bukari stuck with it, gained possession and sent a cross to the top of the box to Dani Pereira. He whipped a shot that Desler in front redirected.
It was an important goal, as Austin is 6-1-0 when scoring first, with a 3-0-0 mark in away matches.
Austin nearly made it 2-0 in the eighth minute when Hansen made a diving stop to his left on a Brandon Vazquez header.
Hansen has filled in for Zack Steffen, who was injured earlier this season and was recently called up to the U.S. men’s national team (with whom he sustained an injury on Tuesday).
Although Hansen started the season as the third-string goalkeeper, he has two shutouts in his five starts.
Once the match reached the half-hour mark, the pace picked up and Stuver denied the equalizer by Navarro with a full extension save of his header in the 31st, and moments later, Hansen stopped Vazquez again on a 2-on-1 with Bukari.
Stuver has seven shutouts this season.
Desler saved a potential goal in the 45th minute when he headed away a strike from Josh Atencio.
Austin made it 2-0 when a Brendan Hines-Ike header from an Owen Wolff corner kick went in off Navarro.
–Field Level Media
