Austin FC players aim for Copa Tejas trophy advantage in derby vs. Houston Dynamo

As Austin FC prepares for an unusual 12:30 p.m. kickoff on the road Saturday against the Houston Dynamo in a matchup between two teams in playoff positions, it’s a stark difference from the last time the clubs met.

In late October, both teams were winding down disappointing seasons and had already been eliminated from playoff contention when El Tree took a 2-1 victory at Q2 Stadium.

Houston would go on to finish last in the Western Conference, with Austin FC one spot above.

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In fact, 2021 was a season to forget for all three Texas MLS teams, as FC Dallas finished 11th in the West, meaning the three Lone Star State teams occupied the bottom three spots in the final conference standings.

Fast forward to today, and El Tree sits in second place in the West with 17 points, while Houston is seventh on 12 points.

FC Dallas has also changed its fortunes, charging out to fourth place after eight games with 15 points, including last week’s 2-1 home win over the Dynamo in which it scored twice in the game’s final 10 minutes.

So as Austin FC prepares for its first derby (a term used in soccer to refer to a match between local rivals) and initial chance to make headway toward the Copa Tejas trophy — a cup created by the fans of the three Texas MLS team to be won by the one with the most head-to-head points during the season — there’s about as much on the line as there can be for a match in late April.

“Derbies take on their own life and their own form, which are constructed over many years and history,” Austin FC coach Josh Wolff said. “We’re young in that history, but Copa Tejas is alive and well. Houston has already been introduced to that format with the game last week.”

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While El Tree has thrived this season with a combination of new pieces — most notably forward Maxi Urruti, midfielder Ethan Finlay and center back Ruben Gabrielsen — and a carryover of players who performed well a year ago, the Dynamo were largely rebuilt in the offseason.

Houston brought in a new general manager (Pat Onstad) and coach (Paulo Nagamura), and for the first time hired a technical director (Asher Mendelsohn).

Veteran forward Darwin Quintero has had a renaissance under the new regime, and forward Carlos Ferreira, an offseason signing, has made a significant impact.

“Houston is a good team and one that is very difficult to play,” Wolff said. “You have to give their front office and staff credit for putting together a team that has a lot of quality. Those are guys who have been around a lot of successful situations in this league. It will be a physical match, and they’re an athletic and fast team that is capable of scoring a lot of goals.”

El Tree won’t see FC Dallas until June 25, but new coach Nico Estevez has his club off to an unexpectedly impressive start.

FC Dallas has a goal differential of plus-eight and seems to have adjusted quite well to losing star forward Ricardo Pepi in January to German club FC Augsburg.

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While there’s a long way to go, the three Texas MLS clubs look poised to be part of the playoff race throughout the season, and that means the derbies will have an extra significance — something that couldn’t be said a year ago.

“There’s passion because it’s a derby,” said Urruti, who has played for all three Texas clubs and noted that if he scores today he won’t do his signature “bow and arrow” celebration out of respect for some of his former teammates from only a year ago. “Texas has obviously been an important part of my life with how much time I’ve spent here, and these are important games for us and the fans, and you always want to win against your rivals.”

New goal celebration a player tribute

Fans may have noticed a new goal celebration done by Urruti and Sebastián Driussi that resembles players turning their arm and hand into a snake or cobralike figure.

Urruti said that Gabrielsen introduced the gesture to the team and that the celebration was a tribute to him.

Matthew McConaughey gives pep talk

Wolff noted that Matthew McConaughey stopped by practice this week and gave a short talk to the team that was well-received.

“It gives a good little burst of energy to the guys,” Wolff said. “He comes from a real genuine place, and the guys enjoy having him around.”

Saturday's match

Austin FC at Houston Dynamo, 12:30 p.m., PNC Stadium, Unimás, 97.5

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin FC to play Houston Dynamo with bragging rights on the line