Austin FC host Real Salt Lake in the first round of the 2022 Audi MLS Cup playoffs at the Q2 Stadium.
The Verde and Black had a magical second season in MLS, finishing second in the Western Conference with 56 points led by MVP candidate Sebastian Driussi.
For RSL, they enter the postseason as the seventh seed for the second straight year and will look to replicate their run of 2021 when they upset Seattle and Kansas City on their way to the Western Conference final.
The winner of this match will face either Dallas or Minnesota in the Western Conference semifinals next Sunday.
Team news
Freddy Kleeman is the only absentee as the defender is out with a left knee injury.
Aaron Herrera is questionable with a calf injury, but it seems unlikely the defender will play.
Damir Kreilach is back in training with the team, but won't feature in this match.
Bobby Wood remains sidelined with an adductor injury.
Predicted lineups
Austin FC: Stuver; Gallagher, Gabrielsen, Cascante, Lima; Fagúndez, Valencia, Ring, Finlay; Djitté, Driussi
Real Salt Lake: MacMath; Oviedo, Silva, Glad, Brody; Savarino, Ruiz, Ojeda, Chang; Méndez, Córdova
Ones to watch
Sebastian Driussi (Austin FC)
The Argentine was second in the Golden Boot race with 22 goals while also contributing seven assists while being named a finalist for the MVP award. He's scored or assisted on almost 45 percent of the Verde and Black's 65 goals.
Andrew Brody (Real Salt Lake)
Salt Lake conceded the fourth-fewest goals in MLS with 45 and Brody was a big reason why, leading all outfield players in games played with 41 and second in interceptions with 50. He scored the winner against Austin in May.
Previous meetings
The two matches during the regular season were split with each team winning at home.
In the first match in May, Alex Ring put Austin in front after 24 minutes, but Mikael Chang equalized in the 455th minute and Andrew Brody won it two minutes from time to give Salt Lake a 2-1 victory.
A little over a month ago, the Verde and Black ran out 3-0 winners through the first-ever hat trick in club history by Moussa Djitte, which clinched a playoff berth for the team.
How to watch
The match will be televised nationally with ABC providing English-language commentary and ESPN Deportes handling Spanish-language commentary.
Kickoff is set for 3pm Eastern time.