Austin FC vs FC Dallas: What does an MLS Cup Playoffs clash mean for the rivalry?

Try as you might, you cannot force a rivalry.

High-stakes games between fierce foes are a large part of what soccer is all about but with brand new expansion teams with no history coming in, that's one area where MLS is currently trying to find itself.

How do you form genuine rivalries in fixtures with no history, without forcing the issue and creating something false and manufactured?

That question is at the forefront of many minds in Texas right now with Austin FC contesting their first-ever MLS Cup Playoffs campaign in only their second season in existence.

Of course, facing fellow Texans FC Dallas in an MLS Cup Playoffs clash this Sunday is sure to help raise the stakes.

“Usually these rivalries are coming from time,” said Dallas head coach Nico Estevez, “but also fighting for winning something, right?

“As FC Dallas and Austin have these types of games like we will have on Sunday, this rivalry will grow and grow. We can see right now that it is growing and is there and everyone feels it from the games that we've played this year. But as soon as we play these types of games, I'm pretty sure that both sides, fans, players, or staff, they will get into that regularly.”

Austin captain Alexander Ring agrees, but believes the two regular-season fixtures shared between the two sides - finishing 1-1 and 2-2 - have already served to add fuel to the fire.

“I mean, it’s a young rivalry, right? Two years,” said the midfielder. “But yeah, games like these, the games we've had this year against them, those will fuel the rivalry, 100 percent. I think the fans are really into it already, so yeah, a derby’s always a derby.”

The level of Austin FC's performance during their sophomore year is sure to ruffle a few feathers around Texas, too.

After finishing 12th in the Western Conference in 2021 above only the Houston Dynamo, but below them in the Copa Tejas head-to-head standings, Austin have risen to the top of the state this year.

The Verde and Black ended the regular season second in the West and top of the Texas pile, unbeaten in four games against their two state rivals and able to wrestle the Copa Tejas trophy from Dallas.

Such has been Austin's growth that Dallas' own rise back up the standings has been largely overlooked, but Estevez is a keen believer that his side can define their own image by simply delivering success.

“If we want people to look at us and talk about us, we have to do better,” said Estevez. “If we do better and we do big things, then people will start talking about us. We try to focus on ourselves, we try to be better every single day, don't put limits [on ourselves], and this is our motivation as a group.

“To [have] people talk [about] you, you have to do big things. And then this game against Austin, it could help us to give this next step, where OK, it is no more a surprise team, it's, this team is going forward.”

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