For a staff to rise from close to the underside of the desk to contenders on the high in only a 12 months, it wants a particular performer to step up. For Austin FC this season, that has been Sebastian Driussi.
The Argentine midfielder has, at occasions, carried his staff on his again, proving a goalscoring machine and a artistic linchpin with 22 targets and 5 main assists in 34 regular-season appearances.
That’s even a marked enchancment from the 5 targets and eight assists in 17 video games final 12 months, when Driussi solely joined midway by way of the season. But then, given his pedigree, we should not have anticipated any much less.
After all, Driussi is a participant who hails from the identical River Plate youth system that has produced legends of the sport equivalent to Pablo Aimar, Javier Mascherano, Gonzalo Higuain, and Hernan Crespo.
Driussi flourished in his homeland and within the 2016/17 season, netted 20 targets in 36 appearances throughout all competitions – sufficient to earn him a long-awaited transfer to Europea with Russian giants Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Though he scored 19 targets throughout his first two seasons, Driussi’s time in Russia was considerably much less profitable and slowly however absolutely, he fell down the pecking order. The path to Major League Soccer was opening up earlier than him and when he did arrive Stateside, Driussi was stronger for his European experiences.
“That is part of the reason why he is in the moment that he is sporting-wise,” fellow Argentine and Portland Timbers icon Diego Valeri stated of Driussi earlier this 12 months. “He is mature, he has a lot of experiences, he’s very competitive – all of that collaborates into his performance, but certainly there is a lot of value in what he has already conquered.”
In his first full season with the membership, Driussi’s 22 targets have guided Austin FC all the best way as much as second within the Western Conference. Only the Philadelphia Union (72) and LAFC (66) have scored greater than the Verde and Black (65) and though he could not win the award, Driussi is rightly on the entrance of the MVP dialog.
“He’s a very tactical player, with a lot of power,” stated veteran NYCFC playmaker and compatriot Maxi Moralez. “He’s not a big No. 9 but rather knows how to manage his speed in very small spaces, but you can clearly see the quality that he has in front of goal. Is he the MVP? For me, yes. There are still a few games to go, but what he is doing is superb.”
Driussi himself will seemingly be paying little or no consideration to particular person awards, although dropping the Golden Boot race to Hany Mukhtar to only a single purpose could harm.
Instead, the main target will likely be on Austin FC’s MLS Cup Playoffs debut.
Whatever occurs from right here, this season has been a hit. However, a victory over Real Salt Lake within the first spherical will make a surprising 2022 season that a lot sweeter for Texas’ up-and-comers.
And ought to that occur, you possibly can wager Sebastian Driussi will likely be on the coronary heart of it.
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