National Writer: Charles Boehm<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Tenacity, intensity, frustration, resilience, even a dash of desperation\u2026 and ultimately, satisfaction tinged with relief.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The emotions were varied and occasionally rather raw for Brandon Vazquez<\/a> and Austin FC<\/a> on Sunday afternoon as they held off San Diego FC<\/a> to bank a hard-won 2-1 win<\/a> on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire that pushes the Verde into second place in the MLS Western Conference alongside LAFC<\/a> just five matches into Nico Est\u00e9vez\u2019s coaching reign (3W-2L-0D, 9 points).<\/p>\n Arriving from CF Monterrey<\/a> for a hefty reported $10 million transfer fee over the winter, Vazquez encountered sky-high expectations in the Texas capital city, but had yet to open his scoring account in the season\u2019s opening weeks. His calmly finished breakaway to draw first blood at Q2 Stadium represented a weight off his back<\/a>, even if he himself rued the litany of missed chances that followed, forcing his side to sweat to the very end as SDFC dominated the final stages.<\/p>\n \u201cJust bliss. I\u2019ve been working my butt off for months with this team for it to finally pay off,\u201d Vazquez told MLS Season Pass\u2019 Andrew Wiebe postgame.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just super excited we got the win. I\u2019m not satisfied with the performance, because we should have put a lot more in the back of the net, but we\u2019ll keep working at it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It was hardly the prettiest of displays for the hosts, as San Diego bossed possession to the tun of 69%-31% and forced ATX to bunker in for much of the second half, uncorking 17 shots and forcing three quality saves out of Brad Stuver<\/a>. Yet the tactical decision to test the expansion side\u2019s back line with searching balls over the top for Vazquez worked like a charm for Est\u00e9vez, whose FC Dallas<\/a> sides tended to value possession play to a fault in his tenure in North Texas.<\/p>\n \u201cI can be someone that thinks that we have to high press, as I’ve done it before, but maybe we have players that feel more comfortable not high pressing,\u201d the Spaniard told reporters after the match, noting San Diego\u2019s \u201csuper aggressive\u201d game model influenced his approach. \u201cI can say, ‘OK, we have to put crosses, because we think the forwards are good on that, but they’re good in tight spaces also, and then I think we’re finding a really good way to create quality chances.’<\/p>\n \u201cI always like to talk about quality chances, and it is two ways that I think we can do it, is on transition and also from buildup, drawing opponents\u2019 press up in order to break lines, to attack the space behind the opponents\u2019 back line,\u201d he continued. \u201cWe have to learn how to find the sweet [spot] to create quality chances. And I think today we did it.\u201d<\/p>\n The standings only mean so much at this early phase of the season, though Austin\u2019s current position can only build belief in a group still finding itself under new leadership with several newcomers in key areas of the pitch.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The commitment with which the Verde blocked shots and threw themselves into challenges on an unseasonably hot day in central Texas hinted at a collective desire to keep hold of the positive result on home turf.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it’s part of the building a culture, a team that in the difficult moments, it comes together, and it doesn’t matter how difficult it is, they get it done,\u201d said Est\u00e9vez. \u201cBuilding that resiliency and that character, it goes a long way, because none of the games are going to be easy in this league \u2026 We want to keep that mentality that is about building the culture of a team that wants to win, and if it’s needed to defend [with] everyone and hang in there until the last minute, they will do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Or as Vazquez put it: \u201cWe\u2019ve got a hard-working team. I think we\u2019re going to keep grinding, because we\u2019re not satisfied with the result because of the amount of opportunities we had. I think we just have to keep grinding so we can stay on top of the leaderboard.\u201d<\/p>\n This marks the first loss of San Diego FC\u2019s brief existence. The Chrome-and-Azul remained positive afterwards, though, coach Mikey Varas and his players noting how their shorthanded group dealt with the challenge of Austin\u2019s defend-and-counter tactics \u2013 which constitute a compliment of sorts to SDFC\u2019s performances to date.<\/p>\nBuilding belief<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
“Keep grinding”<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n