Austin FC Selects Daniel Pereira in the MLS SuperDraft as History-Making No. 1 Pick

Daniel Pereira is making history…

Austin FC selected the Virginia Tech midfielder as the No. 1 pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, making him the first-ever No. 1 pick from Venezuela.

Daniel Pereira

Pereira was born and raised in the Venezulan capital of Caracas. But with his family facing political persecution and the entire country facing food shortages, human rights violations and an economic crisis, they decided to move to the U.S. in search of a better life.

Pereira was a teenager at the time and didn’t know a single word of English.

“We hit the reset button and started over completely. I didn’t really like the idea much at the start because I was leaving my friends behind and the team that I was playing for in Venezuela,” he said.

Daniel Pereira

Pereira is projected as a box-to-box midfielder who should provide some depth in midfield alongside Alex Ring. Pereira also signed a Generation Adidas contract with MLS, meaning his salary won’t count against Austin’s salary cap.

The pick was something of a surprise given that most mock drafts had Clemson midfielder Philip Mayaka going No. 1, but Pereira was the choice for Austin.

“I wasn’t really expecting to be No. 1 because of all the mock drafts,” Pereira said afterward. “It’s an honor. I’m really happy. My family is crying. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

Pereira added that, in his conversations with the Austin staff before draft day, he told them he hopes to play in his preferred central midfield role.

“I expect to play my position,” he said. “I’m a No. 8. I like to defend, and I like to attack. Hopefully that’s where they see me.”

TOP 10 DRAFT PICKS (view full results here):

  1. Austin FC, Daniel Pereira, MF, Virginia Tech
  2. FC Cincinnati, Calvin Harris, FW, Wake Forest
  3. Colorado Rapids, Philip Mayaka, MF, Clemson
  4. D.C. United, Kimarni Smith, FW, Clemson
  5. D.C. United, Michael DeShields, DF, Wake Forest
  6. Houston Dynamo FC, Ethan Bartlow, DF, Washington
  7. Real Salt Lake, Bret Halsey, DF, Virginia
  8. Orlando City SC, Derek Dodson, FW, Georgetown
  9. Vancouver Whitecaps, David Egbo, FW, Akron
  10. Inter Miami CF, Josh Penn, FW, Indy Eleven/Indiana

Austin FC Selects Joe Corona in the 2020 Expansion Draft

Joe Corona is heading to the Lone Star State…

MLS expansion side Austin FC made five selections in the 2020 Expansion Draft, headlined by the 30-year-old Mexican American soccer player and former LA Galaxy midfielder.

Joe Corona

The acquisitions bring the total number of players on Austin’s roster to 11 ahead of its debut season in 2021.

Austin sporting director Claudio Reyna selected San Jose Earthquakes forward Danny Hoesen with the team’s first selection. In four seasons with San Jose, Hoesen scored 23 goals and added 12 assists in 104 league and playoff appearances, but saw the field just eight times in 2020 after dealing with oblique and adductor issues that eventually required surgery. Combined with the fact that he is out of contract and earned $500,000 in 2019 (the last year that salary data from the MLS Players Association was available), his selection was something of a surprise. But Reyna said that when Hoesen became available he jumped to the top of Austin’s list.

“I’m a big believer in guys, when they get a clean start, come to a new club, work under a new coach, that they get back to their levels,” Reyna said about Hoesen. “A couple years ago he scored many goals and we feel that he’s got that ability to again.”

Austin chose New York Red Bulls midfielder Jared Stroud with its second selection. Stroud, 24, made 20 appearances for the Red Bulls in 2020, 11 of them starts and recorded two assists. He had spent two seasons with New York Red Bulls II in the USL Championship.

With its third pick, Austin selected Nashville goalkeeper Brady Scott. A U.S. youth international, Scott spent three years with German side FC Koln, spending most of his time playing in the 3. Liga with the club’s reserve team. He was acquired by Nashville last August, and then immediately loaned out to Sacramento Republic in the USL Championship where he made two appearances.

Corona was chosen with the fourth pick, and is expected to provide Austin with a steady presence in the center of midfield. Corona has experience abroad having played in Mexico for Club Tijuana, Club America, Veracruz and Dorados. He spent the last two seasons with the Galaxy making 49 league and cup appearances, scoring two goals. Corona has also made 23 appearances with the U.S. national team, scoring three goals.

“He’s a calm player, an experienced player,” said Austin manager Josh Wolff about Corona. “He’ll be good in the buildup, he’s comfortable on the ball, and I think he’s a facilitator who will be able to circulate the ball side to side.”

Austin chose Orlando City defender Kamal Miller with its fifth selection, but immediately traded him to the Montreal Impact in exchange for $225,000 in General Allocation Money and the 11th overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft.

Frankie Amaya Scores First Career Goal in FC Cincinnati Win Over Atlanta United

It’s a Major League Soccer first for Frankie Amaya

The 19-year-old Mexican American soccer player scored his first career goal in the 76th minute, and FC Cincinnati took advantage of nine-man Atlanta United team to pull off a stunning 1-0 victory Thursday in the MLS is Back Tournament near Orlando.

Frankie Amaya

The win was the first of the season for Cincinnati (1-0-3, 3 points), and an even bigger upset within Group E at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Cincinnati lost its opener 4-0 to rival Columbus, but prevailed thanks to an undisciplined Atlanta side that finished the match with nine men.

Amaya showed his strength and accuracy with a bending strike from just outside the center of the box, beating an outstretched Brad Guzan into the far-left corner for the game’s lone goal.

For Atlanta (2-0-2, four points), the loss could be a crushing blow to its hopes of reaching the knockout round. Playing without injured star Josef Martinez (torn ACL), Atlanta opened the tournament with a 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls.

This marked the first time in club history that Atlanta has failed to score in back-to-back regular-season MLS contests. It obviously did not help that they played most of the match a man down.

Atlanta went down to 10 men when midfielder Jake Mulraney was sent off in the 26th minute for a pressing foul that also happened to be his second yellow card of the match. However, Atlanta’s Pity Martinez had a point-blank chance late in the first half, but Cincinnati keeper Przemyslaw Tyton was up to the task.

It appeared Martinez was set for a penalty shot in the final seconds of the first half after being fouled deep in the box. However, a VAR check ruled he was offside before the infraction.

Cincinnati eventually stepped up the pressure. When Adrien Regattin found Amaya amid some traffic, the talented youngster drilled his left-footed attempt into the goal, and enough for FCC to record its first league victory since Sept. 14.

Atlanta dropped to nine men when JJ Williams was slapped with a red card late in stoppage time.

Amaya was the first overall draft pick of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, and the first first-overall pick to be born in the 2000s. Amaya played one year of college soccer for UCLA and prior to UCLA, played club soccer with Pateadores SC, a premier youth club in Southern California.