Zardes scores again as Austin FC tops Toronto FC for second straight win

Gyasi Zardes is starting to heat up for Austin FC.

Zardes scored for the second straight game as El Tree took a much-deserved 1-0 win over Toronto FC in the first meeting between the two clubs Saturday night at Q2 Stadium.

Three days after winning on the road at Seattle, Austin FC played its best match of the season to garner another three points and move up to ninth place in the Western Conference. Here are some thoughts from the match as El Tree (4-5-4, 16 points) continues its busy May on Wednesday when it hosts Chicago in the U.S. Open Cup.

A fair result

A major disappointment was averted when Zardes, who came on as a sub in the 62nd minute, headed in a deflection off the crossbar in stoppage time.

Austin FC had dominated the game with 63% possession, outshot Toronto 16-3 and generally controlled the flow of play from start to finish, but it couldn’t find the net the first 90 minutes.

Had El Tree come away with a tie following such a strong performance, the feeling would be completely different.

But Zardes deftly directed the ball into the goal after Nick Lima’s backward header bounced off the crossbar and Austin FC now carries momentum into the new week.

Sofiane Djeffal plays well in first start

The game marked the first MLS start for midfielder Sofiane Djeffal, whom Austin FC acquired through the re-entry draft in the offseason. He played the full 90 minutes and was generally solid, making good passes, playing adequate defense and not making any egregious errors.

With the heavy schedule, winger Diego Fagúndez still getting back into shape and Sebastián Driussi out injured, Djeffal being another solid option to put on the field is only good news for the club.

The defense continues its great season

Center backs Alex Ring, Leo Väisänen and Julio Cascante were excellent again, continuing a season-long trend of the defense being the club’s strong point.

In addition, Nick Lima, who played more as a wing than at his traditional spot of right back, turned in a good performance both defensively and offensively by stretching the field on the right side.

The same can be said for Jon Gallagher on the left side, but major credit needs to be given to Adam Lundkvist, who subbed into the game late for Gallagher and whose quality cross started the sequence of events that eventually led to Zardes’ goal.

Coming full circle, it also needs to be recognized that Ring played the entire 90 minutes — and did so well — for the second time in four days.

At 32 years old, that’s certainly notable.

Dani Pereira's streak broken

Dani Pereira didn’t play the entire match in league play for the first time this year when he came off in the 62nd minute.

It’s a tribute to his fitness that he was on the field 90 minutes for the first 12 matches, but Austin FC coach Josh Wolff noted in his postgame press conference that the club will keep an eye on his minutes going forward.

Coaches are familiar with each other

In a fun nugget of information, fellow media revealed in the postgame presser that Wolff began his MLS career 25 years ago for the Chicago Fire playing for current Toronto coach Bob Bradley.

There's trouble in Toronto

It has to be written that Toronto, which sits last in the Eastern Conference, looked like the worst team in the MLS by a wide margin.

That’s not to discredit Austin FC’s performance, which was very good, but Toronto had no clear game plan, its players didn’t seem too interested in the match and it was obvious from the start it was playing for a tie.

El Tree dominated so much that goalie Brad Stuver didn’t have to make any saves and there were a few stretches in the first half where he could have laid on the field and taken a nap and it wouldn’t have mattered.

Like El Tree, Toronto has been riddled by injuries, but Saturday's performance won’t make Bradley’s seat any less hot north of the border. Because if there was a showing where a club has tuned out its coach — that was it.

Man of the match: Gyasi Zardes

This one is obvious, but it's good to see Austin FC's big offseason signing starting to produce like he has shown throughout his career.

It's a tough ask in 21 games, but if Zardes can finish with nine goals like he did a year ago for Colorado, that should be considered a good season.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin FC dominates in 1-0 win over struggling Toronto FC