Wolff’s Late Strike Seals 6th Seed Playoff Spot

Austin FC ended their regular season home schedule with a crucial 1-0 victory over LAFC on Sunday night, securing the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoffs thanks to a late goal from homegrown midfielder Owen Wolff.

The match itself, played with both clubs missing key international players like Myrto Uzuni and Denis Bouanga, suffered in quality. The first half was largely forgettable, and the game was a slog with a combined eight shots and 24 fouls. Austin FC came into the match knowing their playoff fate was between sixth and seventh place, while Los Angeles had the potential to finish as high as the No. 1 seed.

The breakthrough finally came in the 83rd minute. Defender Zan Kolmanič delivered a sharp corner kick that caromed off an LAFC defender and landed perfectly for Wolff at the back post. The midfielder wasted no time, heading the ball past legendary goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for the night’s only score.

The goal marked Wolff’s sixth of the MLS season, adding to his eight assists. Wolff has been a breakout star this year, and his performance is a significant reason Austin FC is heading to the postseason for only the second time in their history.

Following the victory, the Austin FC head coach used the result to validate his work with the club. “I’ve been in this league for four years and finished three years, and each of those three ended in the playoffs,” he stated. “It feels really good. There’s a lot of work that goes into it. And it’s important to think about all the hard work that this team has done.”

The win offers a major boost of confidence as Austin FC prepares to enter the best of three match first round playoff bracket.