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.
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 look to win their second straight match to open the tournament following Thursday's 2-0 victory over Club Tijuana.
As for Uzuni, the outburst offered another encouraging sign as Austin's Designated Player looks to build on a 2026 MLS campaign that has seen him emerge 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 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.
