Austin FC continued their flying start to the 2022 season, routing Inter Miami CF 5-1 at Q2 Stadium on Sunday, powered by braces from Sebastian Driussi and Ethan Finlay.
Julio Cascante also found the scoresheet to help pace ATX, with Leonardo Campana scoring the lone goal for the visitors.
Austin FC got the opener on 22 minutes when Driussi finished off a well-worked team goal. The Argentine DP spearheaded the sequence with a nifty turn to maintain possession in his own end, then converted a leaping first-time volley after Maxi Urruti set up Diego Fagundez for a cross from the right side.
Cascante added a second just four minutes later, as the center back found himself unmarked on a set-piece routine, heading home a feed from Zan Kolmanic past Inter Miami goalkeeper Clement Diop.
The hosts wasted little time adding a third just after the halftime break, as Driussi found his brace, pouncing on a ball in the penalty box that Miami failed to clear and slotting into an open net.
Miami pulled one back, as Campana struck for the visitors' only goal just two minutes later to cut the deficit to 3-1. But any hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Finlay added goals in the 64th and 90th minutes to complete the 5-1 scoreline.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Austin FC have decimated FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami in back-to-back weeks by a combined score of 10-1 to begin their second season in MLS. While they might be beneficiaries of a forgiving early-season schedule, that level of dominance suggests the Texan side is primed for a leap after missing the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs as an expansion squad. Miami looked better in the second half, but there were simply too many defensive lapses to give them much of a chance at taking a road result.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Driussi's opener was the prettiest of Austin's five goals and laid the foundation for the onslaught that ensued.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Driussi has been the catalyst behind Austin's torrid start. He's now already up to five goal contributions through two games.
Next Up
- ATX: Saturday, March 12 at Portland Timbers | 10 pm ET (MLS LIVE on ESPN+, DAZN in Canada)
- MIA: Saturday, March 12 vs. LAFC | 1:30 pm ET (Univision, TUDN, Twitter)
