The most offensive player in Austin’s midfield trio, Ayala did very well at pulling the strings for them. He was excellent with his movement, floating around the center of the field, and he managed to get on the ball frequently, providing a consistent passing option for his teammates. Ayala was very reliable and productive on the ball, standing out with his smart distribution and his ability to dribble in tight spaces. His execution was very good in the team’s second goal, as he engaged in a quick give-and-go with Peale before appearing open inside the box and showing calm and composure to send the ball into the back of the net by sliding it under Dallas’s goalkeeper. The midfielder also made an impact in set pieces, firing dangerous shots on target and providing great service to his teammates.

Ayala was a key piece in the Austin FC U16 team in the MLS Next League, serving as the team’s captain and producing 12 goals and six assists from his central midfielder position. Very technical and intelligent, he gets involved in most of the team’s offensive actions and is excellent at finding ways to progress the ball on the field, while keeping a high work rate on both sides of the ball during the entire match. Ayala likes to get the ball in more central areas and use his ability to dribble in tight spaces and his vision to start plays, but he’s also very dangerous when placed out wide on the left and attacking defenders in 1v1 duels. The midfielder is also very accurate in set pieces.

Austin FC ‘s captain Ayala is always one of their most active players, getting heavily involved in everything they do on the field and positively impacting their play. He’s excellent at beating defenders in 1v1 plays in wider areas of the field, but is at his best when used as a central midfielder, where he sees the ball more often. Ayala knows how to operate in crowded areas of the field, doing a good job of identifying the right spots to get on the ball and not needing much time in possession to pass it to a better-positioned teammate. Also very efficient in set pieces, he has a very high work rate, covering a lot of ground both offensively and defensively, and not letting his level of play drop.

Austin FC ‘s captain, Jonathan’s brother Christian, is the engine of the team. He’s always very active in midfield and moves around extremely well, popping up in great spots to make plays. A very technical and intense player, Ayala combines very well with those around him, coming closer to engage in quick combination plays and connecting good passes. He can be used as a box-to-box midfielder, a role in which he’ll excel by coming close to the center backs to support the team’s buildup, or further up on the field, where his vision and his ability to connect final passes can make a huge impact in the team’s offensive production. Another aspect of Ayala’s game that stands out is his ability to keep his level of play very high throughout entire matches.

If Hernandez led Austin up top, Ayala was instrumental for their dominant performance from his central midfielder position. He was very active during the match, keeping a strong level of play for all 90 minutes and getting heavily involved in the team’s chance-creation. Ayala roamed very well on the field and appeared in all sorts of different spots, from dropping deep to get the ball from the center backs to drifting wide to make plays on the wings. He also displayed great vision in the final third and delivered assists in two of the team’s four goals.

Ayala was excellent in his attacking midfielder role, getting involved in most of Austin’s offensive plays and helping the team move the ball in the attacking half. His movement off the ball was always very intelligent, and he was very determined in looking for the ball, dropping back to get it from the center backs at times and finding pockets of space in the final third on other occasions. Ayala was also very effective at progressing the ball with his ability to dribble and shield it from defenders and connected good passes around the penalty box. He also showed toughness in continuing on the field after getting involved in some incidents and getting a bloody nose.