Austin FC is pushing for a playoff spot, while Sporting Kansas City is trying to turn their season around. Austin FC’s coach, Nico Estevez, wants his team to be talked about, emphasizing mentality and consistent performance. Sporting KC’s interim coach, Kerry Zavagnin, anticipates a tactical game as playoffs near. Key players include Dejan Joveljic for Sporting KC and Brad Stuver for Austin FC. Historically, home teams have dominated this matchup, suggesting a potentially close contest.
Austin FC head coach Nico Estevez has declared his team's ambition to become a prominent talking point in MLS circles as they prepare for their crucial match against Sporting Kansas City. The Verde and Black, currently holding the seventh spot in the Western Conference, are determined to solidify their playoff position. Their recent form has been impressive, suffering only two defeats in their last 11 outings across all competitions.
Despite being a relatively young franchise, with only seven years under their belt, Austin FC is still chasing silverware on two fronts this season. In addition to their playoff aspirations, they've also advanced to the semifinals of the prestigious US Open Cup. Their attacking prowess has been on full display lately, scoring in each of their last six MLS games, a significant improvement from their earlier struggles this season.
“Sometimes you look at the final result, and you can feel the team had a lack of the mentality, but I think against Houston [Dynamo] we had the mentality from the beginning to the end. It’s just we didn’t do a couple of things good, and the opponent punished us,” Estevez said, highlighting the importance of maintaining focus and execution throughout the entire match.
He further emphasized, “We cannot give one half to the opponent, we have to play 90 minutes at the best level that we can. We are building this mentality, we want to be there, we want to be a team that everyone can talk about.”
Meanwhile, Sporting Kansas City finds themselves in a contrasting situation. They languish near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, a considerable nine points adrift of the playoff line. Their recent form has been inconsistent, managing only three wins in their last ten games.
However, with time running out to salvage their season, Sporting KC will be looking to capitalize on their recent 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids. They aim to build momentum and mount a late-season charge to secure a playoff berth. Interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin acknowledged the high stakes, stating, “We are getting close to playoff time, so I think the game will be a little more cagey and more tactical in nature. Recent weeks, they have done a very good job in not just being pragmatic, but being efficient.”
Zavagnin added, “And they don’t give a lot away defensively, and those are usually how the games are played out when we come to the end of the season, when points become so important. Everyone in the locker room wants to achieve. We want to do a good job, we want to play a good game, and we want to win.”
Players to Watch:
Sporting Kansas City – Dejan Joveljic
Dejan Joveljic has been a key figure for Sporting Kansas City, currently tied for third in the MLS goal-scoring charts. His two goals against Colorado marked his 15th game this regular season with at least one goal or assist. Only Johnny Russell, with 17 such games in 2018, has had more games with a goal contribution in their first season with the team in Kansas City’s history.
Austin FC – Brad Stuver
Brad Stuver's goalkeeping prowess has been vital for Austin FC. His five saves against San Jose last week marked his 56th match with at least five saves since joining Austin in 2021. This is a remarkable achievement, with Kristijan Kahlina being the closest competitor in MLS over the past five seasons with 36 such games. Stuver has also recorded eight clean sheets in 27 MLS appearances this season, ranking 12th for most shutouts in the entire MLS.
Match Prediction:
The historical data suggests a close encounter. The home team has won each of the last six matches between Sporting KC and Austin. Neither team has won both encounters in a single season since Austin took both games in 2022, which was also the last time Austin won away at Kansas and remains their only road victory in the fixture. Sporting KC have managed just four home wins so far in 2025. Historically, Sporting have won at least five home games in 15 consecutive seasons, with the exception of 2009, when they recorded a club-low of just four home wins. Facing Stuver, Sporting’s John Pulskamp has made the second-most saves in MLS this term, with 98.
Staying at it. pic.twitter.com/TfaaUDz5kz
— Austin FC (@AustinFC) September 4, 2025