AUSTIN, Texas — Austin FC set a new Major League Soccer record on Sunday in its penalty-kick win over Real Salt Lake.
It wasn't for shots, although the 38-attempt deluge Verde put on RSL wasn't far from San Jose's record of 43 set in 2019.
By coming from 2-0 down to win in PKs, Austin FC became the first club in league history to come from two goals down to win four times in a single season.
"That's kind of our trademark," head coach Josh Wolff joked when the stat was read in the postgame press conference.
It may have been a joke, but he's right. In the regular season and now in the playoffs, Verde is proving to be a team that is unmatched in its ability to rally. Down 2-0 within 15 minutes in the club's first playoff match, there was no panic on the pitch.
"We just know that we can score as many goals as we want," center back Ruben Gabrielsen said. "How many shots did we have? It felt like (Sebastián Driussi) scored seven goals today, and we have him so we know we can score goals. It's just a feeling that we have. If we're down 2-0, just get the ball and it's all or nothing. We make it happen."
They have the belief because they've done it before. It started at D.C. United in April, when Verde trailed 2-0 after 40 minutes and scored all three of its goals in the final 10 minutes. A rubber chicken named Pollo got the credit for that one, but it was the start of something.
In Colorado on July 4, the Rapids scored in quick succession around the 20th minute, but goals by Ethan Finlay and Sebastián Driussi tied it by halftime, and Maxi Urruti scored in the 59th minute to make it 3-2. Verde had to hang onto that lead with 10 men for the final 15 minutes, and showed championship mettle in doing so.
And in August against SKC, Verde trailed by two goals twice — going down 2-0 and then 3-1 — before finding a way back through late goals by Danny Hoesen and Driussi.
"I think it's a reflection point," Wolff said. "I think because we've unfortunately put ourselves in those situations and come through them on the other side, there isn't any panic. There isn't this this lump of anxiety now."
The only anxiety on Sunday was in the stands, and Driussi helped toss that aside with his 31st-minute header that cut the deficit in half. From there, Wolff saw the changes that were needed to give his team an advantage in the second half. He made a triple sub, adding Dani Pereira, Moussa Djitté and Emiliano Rigoni to the fray.
"Not to waste time," Wolff said of the halftime subs. "Get them on, let's see if we can push the tempo a little bit more, bring in another body with Moussa, and bringing in Dani (Pereira) to give a little bit more of the facilitating the ball. He can dribble and break lines a bit better."
Perhaps Wolff made a miscalculation that added to the poor start, choosing to insert Jhojan Valencia, who'd made only four starts during the regular season, instead of Pereira in central midfield. At 2-0 down, the qualities Valencia provided no longer fit the occasion.
"The idea was it was going to be a combative game," Wolff said of the choice to start Valencia over Pereira.
In the 15th minute, the penalty Sergio Córdova scored to put RSL up 2-0 arrived from a handball called on Valencia following a video review. Wolff called the play "bad luck," but didn't argue with the call.
"Jhojan I think settled in in the first half and certainly got a feel for it," Wolff said. "And once (RSL) took the red card, there's less emphasis on the defending components and more on how you can speed the game up and utilize some of our advantages around the field, and Dani does a good job with that."
The lineup decisions were for the fans and media to argue about. The players on the pitch just kept fighting. And even though Rigoni missed chances, Driussi had two goals called back for offside and RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath made nine saves, the belief never wavered.
"I mean, at this point why not go down 2-0. We're coming back from it," Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver said. "Obviously we don't want to put ourselves in that hole, but it's always good to know that we have the resiliency to come back."