Cavan Sullivan’s early goal earns the Union a 1-1 tie amid brutal heat in Austin
Sullivan scored in the 18th minute on a 98-degree night in Texas’ capital. It had been 107 during the day, and the kickoff was pushed 30 minutes later to try to mitigate the heat.
The Union couldn’t make the most of Cavan Sullivan being allowed to play against Austin on Saturday, but they at least made something out of it.
Sullivan scored in the 18th minute of a 1-1 tie, in a game played amid 98-degree temperatures in Texas’ capital city. It had been 107 during the day, and the kickoff was pushed 30 minutes later to try to mitigate things a little.
It did, but only some. At the originally scheduled 7:30 p.m. local time, the thermometer read 101 degrees.
Union interim manager Ryan Richter decided to send out the same starting lineup that started Wednesday against Miami at Subaru Park — and 10 of those same 11 also started in New York last Sunday.
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The man who blew the opening whistle was also of interest. Referee Rodrigo Albuquerque was working just his second MLS game. His first was in mid-May. Albuquerque has spent the rest of this year officiating on a wide range of other American circuits, including the NWSL and second-tier men’s USL Championship.
Fortunately, he didn’t need to get too involved in the early stages. The teams took care of themselves, each scoring off a corner kick play. Sullivan opened the scoring with a header in the 18th minute, and Brendan Hines-Ike responded by beating Frankie Westfield on a jump in the 21st.
That would have been for the lead if not for a brilliant Andre Blake save on Myrto Uzuni’s attempt in the 14th minute, followed by Jon Gallagher shooting the rebound across Blake but hitting the far post.
Albuquerque did get involved twice in the first half, booking Jesús Bueno and Neil Pierre.
Richter made the night’s first substitutions, subbing in Jovan Lukić and Quinn Sullivan for Bueno and Indiana Vassilev in the 57th minute.
Austin counterpart Davy Arnaud went for it in the 63rd, sending veteran strikers Brandon Vázquez and Facundo Torres in to seek a winner. They had been rested to start since Austin (5-10-6, 21 points) plays a Leagues Cup quarterfinal against Mexican power Toluca on Wednesday in northern New Jersey.
Richter made another double-sub in the 74th, Agustín Anello and Ezekiel Alladoh for Cavan Sullivan and Bruno Damiani. That shifted Quinn Sullivan to the right attacking midfield spot, and he promptly took advantage with a 21-yard smash that Austin’s Brad Stuver leapt to palm away.
The home team was inches from the lead in the 83rd when Blake made a rare fumble of a bouncing ball, but Pierre made one of his many clutch plays on the night with a clearance.
Alejandro Bedoya was the last Union substitute, replacing Milan Iloski in the third of six minutes of second-half stoppage time.
Blake came up huge again in the 94th with a diving save on Uzuni, who had broken past a tiring Nathan Harriel. Then the Union (5-10-6, 21 points) went the other way, got a free kick, and Anello’s shot in the box was blocked.
That was finally the end of a long night, and a long week.
