In a tough, low-scoring contest, CITY2 fell 1-0 to Austin FC II at CITYPARK.
CITY2 and Austin FC II battled from the first whistle, with neither team able to pull away from their opponent. The home side worked its way into a good chance to score early in the first half, sending a cross into the box that leaked into unguarded space in front of goal, but the eventual shot off the pass was off the mark.
A few minutes later, CITY2 attackers set themselves up deep in Austin’s territory. After an initial effort was thwarted by the away side’s defense, the ball rolled out to midfielder Isak Jensen, who rocketed a ball on frame from outside the box but was denied by the diving goalkeeper. In the 40th minute, Austin FC II put together a dangerous chance of their own when they sent a cross slicing towards CITY2’s goal, but defender Jon Bell kept the intended target from getting to the ball and it rolled out of bounds. Midfielder John Klein almost added to his team-leading goal total after netting a deflected corner kick later in the half, but the play was ruled offside.
Goalkeeper Ben Lundt came up big for CITY2 a couple minutes into the second half, shutting down a breakaway opportunity by coming off his line to stop the shot from an Austin attacker. In the 61st minute, Jensen fired a long ball that curved on frame but banged off the crossbar and out of bounds.
Austin broke the scoreless deadlock in the 69th minute, putting one home off a rebound from a ball stopped by Lundt. In the 76th minute, midfielder Max Schneider whipped a shot on goal from just outside the box, but the away side’s goalkeeper leapt in the air and redirected it over the crossbar and out of play.
CITY2 didn’t let up, keeping the pressure on with another offensive push in the 85th minute that resulted in a header missing just high. The home side made a final push for the equalizer in second-half stoppage time, with Jensen sending another high-quality shot on frame, but the strike missed wide left.
UP NEXTÂ
CITY2 faces off against Real Monarchs at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.
STARTING LINEUPÂ
Ben Lundt, Michael Wentzel © (Owen O’Malley 64’), Josh Yaro, Jon Bell, Selmir Pidro (Ezra Armstrong 76’), AJ Palazzolo (Max Schneider 64’), Akil Watts (Miguel Perez 64’), John Klein, Faysal Bettache, Isak Jensen, Aziel Jackson (Wan Kuzain 76’)
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED:Â
Eric Walker, Josh Maher, Larsen Hackworth, Dida Armstrong
