Sebastian Driussi carries Austin FC past Minnesota United

Jul 9, 2023, 03:59 am

Sebastian Driussi scored two goals and had an assist to lead Austin FC to its third road victory of the season, 4-1 over Minnesota United on Saturday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

Diego Fagundez and Emiliano Rigoni also scored for Austin FC (8-8-5, 29 points) which extended its unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1). Brad Stuver finished with six saves.

Devin Padelford scored his first career MLS goal and Clint Irwin made four saves for Minnesota United (6-8-6, 24 points).

The Loons, coming in off a 4-1 victory over the Portland Timbers on July 1, dominated the first 30 minutes but failed to convert on a handful of good scoring chances, including one on a header by Hassani Dotson off an Emanuel Reynoso cross that caromed off the woodwork.

Fagundez put Austin ahead, 1-0, in the 35th minute when he fired a right-footed shot from the left side of the 6-yard box into the far right corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Driussi made it 2-0 in the 45th minute when he converted a penalty kick into the right corner of the net. The score was set up after defender Bakaye Dibassy was called for a penalty for coming over and tripping Jon Gallagher as he charged down the left side of the box.

Austin increased its lead to 3-0 in the 51st minute when Driussi, alone by the back left post, tapped in Ethan Finlay's crossing pass from outside the right side of the box for his sixth goal of the season.

Padelford cut it to 3-1 in the 85th minute when he headed in Dotson's glancing header pass off Ismael Tajouri-Sharadi's corner kick.

Rigoni capped the scoring in the 95th minute with a sliding right-footed shot into an open net off a Driussi crossing pass.

Finnish striker Teemu Pukki, who starred for English club Norwich City for five seasons, made his much-anticipated MLS debut in the 56th minute for the Loons and attempted two shots: a bad-angle right-footed try from the right side of the box and another right-footed try from the left side of the box. Stuver made easy saves on both attempts.

--Field Level Media