Across Major League Soccer Decision Day, the league’s last round of regular-season games, the kickoff whistles meant more.

For some, it signified one last shot at the playoffs. For others, it meant a chance to get a better playoff seeding. And for the teams already knocked out, it was the opportunity to end a disappointing season on a high note.

However, as Austin FC lined up and awaited the whistle in the Saturday away matchup against the San Jose Earthquakes, the team knew that none of that was up for grabs. The Verde and Black were already locked into the sixth seed of the Western Conference standings.

The Verde and Black’s starting 11 and substitutions were not a representation of how the team has looked throughout the season, and they ultimately fell 1-2 against the Earthquakes.

“We decided to manage the minutes of a lot of players to prepare everyone for what is coming and put them in a position to be in good form and not lose rhythm,” head coach Nico Estévez said. “For the decision for the guys that didn’t play, it was more them not getting injured.”

Midfielder Owen Wolff scored the lone Austin goal after a long-distance effort in the 22nd minute was deflected into the back of the net. The goal was Wolff’s seventh in the MLS regular season, a team-high.

Leading 1-0 at the end of the first half, Estévez made his first set of substitutions that followed the theme of resting players. Wolff and defender Mikkel Desler were taken out of the game, followed by defender Brendan Hines-Ike and midfielder Dani Pereira later in the second half.

After all the substitutions, San Jose forward Josef Martínez finally broke the Austin defense in the 74th minute, redirecting a cross with his head into the back post. Midfielder Niko Tsakiris found the winning goal three minutes later with a free-kick that slipped through a gap in the Verde and Black wall.

“Defensively, we had a good first half. We held them very well,” Estévez said. “In the second half, we were too deep, too early and we weren’t able to build (a) presence in moments. It’s something that we have to take a look. The goals we conceded were avoidable. We have to be better on those crosses and not opening the wall.”

Austin FC will now turn its head towards the MLS Cup Playoffs as the team prepares to take on third-seeded LAFC, who tied the Colorado Rapids 2-2 on Decision Day. The Verde and Black have already beaten the Black and Gold twice this season.

“We’re going to have to look back at the games when we played (LAFC) and see what worked and didn’t work,” Wolff said.

The first game of the best-of-three series between Austin FC and LAFC will be on Oct. 29 with a 9:30 p.m. CT kickoff.