Well, here we are. Right where we said day one this season the club didn’t want to be: going to LA on the final day without having clinched a playoff spot. LA is never a good place to play.
8th in the West FC Dallas (43 points, 10-10-13) travels to Hollywood to take on 13th in the West LA Galaxy (36 points, 8-13-12) at Dignity Health Sports Park for an 8 pm CT game.
There are five teams (Portland, Dallas, San Jose, Kansas City, and Minnesota) for three spots and since they are in 8th there are clinching scenarios even if FCD loses.
Short version: win… or stay ahead of two other teams.
Broadcast Info
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
English: Keith Costigan and Maurice Edu
Spanish: Sergio Ruiz and Max Cordaro
English Radio: 1190 am and the FC Dallas App. Ryan Figert, Steve Davis, and Jon Arnold are on the call.
Spanish Radio: 99.1 Zona MX with Carlos Alvarado and Rafa Calderon.
FCD Lineup Prediction
Facundo Quignon is out, as is Sebastian Lletget. Nolan Norris is on international duty. Asier Illarramendi stepped out of training Wednesday (you should listen to 3rd Degree the Podcast), so while he’s not listed on the injury report I’m going to call him questionable.
So given how light the midfield is, Coach Nico Estevez‘s hands are pretty much tied on a lot of choices. So I’ll stick with the 4-4-2 prediction of the last few games even though I would prefer Alan Velasco as the “10 “free-8” in a 4-3-3.
Obviously, if Illarramendi is fine he will be in the XI over Liam Fraser.
It also wouldn’t shock me to see Estevez try something totally outside expectations, like starting Jesus Jimenez instead of Jader Obrian. Pressure makes people do odd things sometimes.
Bench Prediction
Jimmy Maurer
Sam Junqua
Dante Sealy
Bernard Kamungo
Tsiki Ntsabeleng
Jesus Jimenez
Eugene Ansah
Jose Martinez
Asier Illarramendi
Jose Mulato traveled, so even though I thought he was inactive due to international spots. Maybe there’s a loophole and he’d going to be in over someone else. MLS gonna MLS.
MLS Injury/Player Availability Report
FC Dallas
OUT: Tarik Scott (season-ending injury)
OUT: Geovane Jesus (right knee season-ending)
OUT: Sebastian Lletget (hamstring)
OUT: Facundo Quignon (unspecified)
International Duty: Nolan Norris
International Duty: Antonio Carrera
LA Galaxy
OUT: Gastón Brugman (Torn Meniscus, left knee)
OUT: Calegari (Torn ACL, left knee)
OUT: Javier “Chicharito” Hernández (Torn ACL, right knee)
OUT: Martín Cáceres (Left Knee, Avulsion Fracture)
OUT: Mark Delgado (head)
OUT: Jalen Neal (Sports Hernia Surgery)
MLS Kit Assignments
LA will be in their home whites putting FC Dallas in their primary red/blue.
Officials
More Game Info
- FCD record: 10-10-13 (43 points – 8th in West)
- LAG record: 8-13-12 (36 points – 13th in West)
- FCD vs. LAG all-time: 32-35-13 (119 goals scored, 133 goals conceded)
- FCD vs. LAG away: 8-26-6 (44 goals scored, 80 goals conceded)
FC Dallas has won 10 of the last 14 vs LA Galaxy (10-2-2).
The Galaxy are unbeaten at home in the last nine regular-season matches played (5-0-4; 21 GF, 14 GA) dating back to June 21.
FCD has drawn 7 of their last 8 games.
LA has allowed multiple goals in 8 straight games.
In 2023, FCD has scored 37 and allowed 36. Since MLS expanded to a 34-game season in 2011, no team has both scored and allowed fewer than 39 goals in a full season. (Not counting Covid-shortened 2020)
FC Dallas has allowed the third-fewest goals in MLS this season (36) and ranks No. 3 in GAA (1.09).
When scoring first FC Dallas is 8-2-4 and 8-2-0 when scoring twice.
In 19 regular-season matches played dating back to May 31, LA Galaxy has a 6-4-9 record and leads the league in goals scored (40).
FC Dallas has scored their most goals (11) during the 76-90 minute interval of the match, third most in MLS.
FC Dallas has won 19 points from losing positions in MLS this season, more than any other team.
26 of FC Dallas’ 37 goals have been scored in the second half.
Dallas has allowed the most goals (10) during the 31-45 minute interval of the match.
Dallas has lost only one of its last 14 matches in all competitions.
FC Dallas’ stretch of five straight draws is a new club record of consecutive draws in MLS regular season play.
FC Dallas has allowed 19 goals on the road, they are one of the lowest-conceding teams in the Western Conference.
Eight of the ten FCD wins this season have come in matches in which Jesús Ferreira has scored. Dallas has a 17-2-2 record in the 20 matches in which Ferreira has scored since the start of last season.
Douglas Costa has six goal contributions (3 goals, 3 assists) in four matches played dating back to Sept. 30.
With his next goal scored, Diego Fagundez will become the 10th player in MLS history to record at least 70 goals and 70 assists in regular-season play
GAME-WINNING GOALS – SINGLE SEASON
Jeff Cunningham (2009) 7
Eddie Johnson (2004) 7
Jesús Ferreira (2023) 7