AUSTIN, Texas — Osman Bukari found the back of the net in the latter stages of the second half, while Brad Stuver preserved the lead in his 81st consecutive start, guiding Austin FC to a 1-0 win against Sporting Kansas City in their season opener on Saturday night.
The victory marked a successful start for the team under new head coach Nico Estévez, who previously held the coaching position at FC Dallas for the last three seasons.
Bukari, who had a modest debut season with one goal and two assists over eight matches, struck in the 76th minute with help from 20-year-old midfielder Owen Wolff. Wolff has contributed nine assists throughout his career in 87 appearances for the club, and he achieved a personal record of four assists last season.
In goal, Stuver made two crucial saves, continuing his notable form from the past two seasons where he led all goalkeepers in saves. His impressive streak of consecutive starts began against Sporting Kansas City in July 2022.
For Sporting KC, goalkeeper John Pulskamp registered one save during the match.
Austin recently strengthened its squad by signing designated players Brandon Vazquez and Myrto Uzuni during the offseason, along with midfielders Ilie Sánchez, Besard Sabovic, and Nico Dubersarsky. Last season, the team struggled to find the net, finishing with the fewest goals in the Western Conference.
Sporting Kansas City, which failed to qualify for the playoffs last year, is under the long-standing management of Peter Vermes, who has been at the helm since 2009. The club has brought in new talent, including designated players Dejan Joveljic and Manu Garcia. Joveljic was a notable acquisition from the Los Angeles Galaxy for a historic $4 million, marking the first cash-for-player deal in league history. He had an impressive season, netting 21 goals and leading the playoffs with six goals as part of the MLS Cup champions.
Looking ahead, Austin FC will be traveling to face off against the Portland Timbers next Saturday, while Sporting Kansas City will host the San Jose Earthquakes on the same day.
