Austin FC's Myrto Uzuni stuns Puebla with rapid-fire hat trick

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·10 August 2026

Austin FC's Myrto Uzuni stuns Puebla with rapid-fire hat trick

By Ari Liljenwall

WATCH: Myrto Uzuni explodes for first-half hat trick!

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Myrto Uzuni wasted little time putting on a show for Austin FC in Sunday's Leagues Cup 2026 Phase One showdown with Puebla at Q2 Stadium.

The Albanian Designated Player scored twice in the opening 10 minutes, then added a third tally in the 34th minute to complete a blistering first-half hat trick, providing all the goals in Austin's eventual 3-0 victory.

Uzuni got the party started just four minutes in, converting a perfectly placed free kick from outside the area, beyond the diving reach of Puebla goalkeeper Jesús Rodríguez.

Just three minutes later, Uzuni had his second, finishing off a clever backheel pass inside the box from Christian Ramírez, before completing the hat trick in the 34th with a clinical volley.

The three-goal performance was Uzuni's first-ever multi-goal game for the Verde & Black and marked just the seventh time in Leagues Cup history that a player has recorded a hat trick.

The first-half barrage got Austin off to a flying start as they took their second straight win to open the tournament following Thursday's 2-0 victory over Club Tijuana.

With Sunday's victory secured, Austin are now in prime position to advance to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, which they can clinch in their Phase One finale against LIGA MX power Club América on Thursday (8:30 pm ET | Apple TV). They're first in the MLS table, and only the top four finishers make the knockout phase.

As for Uzuni, the outburst offered another encouraging sign as Austin's Designated Player looks to build on a 2026 MLS campaign in which he has shone as one of the Verde & Black's attacking centerpieces.

The 31-year-old arrived in Austin ahead of the 2025 season from Spanish side Granada CF for a then-club-record transfer fee, following a prolific stint in which he was Granada's all-time leading scorer with 49 goals in 106 all-competition appearances.