“You stay classy, San Diego.”
Ron Burgundy
These two teams have never met.
6th in the West FC Dallas (15 points, 4-3-3), travels out west to face 7th in the West San Diego FC (14 points, 4-4-2) at Snapdragon Stadium, kickoff at 8:15 pm.
San Diego under (former FC Dallas assistant coach) Mikey Varas basically plays a better version of Luchi-ball with 58% possession for the season. They average 580 passes a game, that’s about 150 more passes a game than FCD.
Broadcast Info
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, Apple TV+, FS1, FOX Deportes
– Apple TV English: Nate Bukaty, Devon Kerr
– Apple TV Spanish: Jose Bauz, Eduardo Biscayart
– FOX Sports: Josh Appel, Ricky Lopez-Espin
– Dallas Audio: Ryan Figert and Steve Davis.
MLS Injury/Player Availability Report
FC Dallas
Léo Chú – Knee (Out)
Marco Farfan – Legs (Out)
Geovane Jesus – Knee (Out)
Sebastian Lletget- Upper Leg (Out)
Petar Musa – Ankle (Questionable)
Enzo Newman – Knee (Out)
Suspension after 1 more yellow: Ramiro, Lucho Acosta
San Diego FC
Marcus Ingvartsen – Lower Body (Out)
Andres Reyes – Lower Body (Out)
Suspension after 1 more yellow: Franco Negri
FC Dallas Lineup Prediction
The biggest question for Coach Eric Quill is whether to switch from the diamond-4 (4-3-1-2) to the 3-4-3 that was so effective in the second half versus Inter Miami.
For now, I think it will be the diamond again. Hopefully, some work has been done this week to remind Show Cafumana and Kaick how important it is for them to get wide and cover the back four.
With Petar Musa questionable, I don’t travel him and keep Logan Farrington in the XI. It’s a long season. Despite coming off the injury report, I also don’t travel Paxton Pomykal. Stay conservative with him, again, it’s a long season.
Bench Prediction
Michael Collodi
Lalas Abubakar
Bernie Kamungo
Patrickson Delgado
Tsiki Ntsabeleng
Pedrinho
Diego Garcia
Alvaro Augusto
Tarik Scott
As for the 3-4-3… big picture, Quill doesn’t really have a left wingback, Nolan Norris can manage it, probably, and Anderson Julio can in a different way. But given the lack of center back options, I don’t think it’s season-long viable as the base. Keep an eye on it as a late-game option, though.
Just for grins, here’s what it might look like if FCD did start the game in a 3-4-3.
MLS Kit Assignments
Officials
Ref: Joe Dickerson
AR1: Jeffrey Greeson
AR2: Gerard-Kader Lebuis
4th: Jair Marrufo
VAR: Carol Anne Chenard
AVAR: Joshua Patlak
More Game Info
FC Dallas is unbeaten through its first six road matches of the season, the longest such streak to begin a campaign in club history.
With 12 points earned away from home, Dallas joins Philadelphia (2024) and the New York Red Bulls (2022) as the only clubs in the last decade to remain unbeaten through six road games.
Jeppe Tverskov (SD) – leads MLS with 851 touches. Chris Mcvery is 2nd (847) and Paddy McNair is 3rd (828).
San Diego FC has lost three games in a row for the first time in its history. It has been outscored 9-3 in that span, allowing three goals in each of the losses.
Anders Dreyer leads San Diego with 3 goals and is second with 3 assists. Chucky Lozano has 4 assists.
FC Dallas holds a 12-6-4 record in the first match against expansion teams.
Léo Chú has the fastest speed recorded for FC Dallas this season at 35.3 KPH/21.9 MPH, ranking No. 9 in MLS.
FCD is 4-2-0 in games decided by one goal.
Osaze Urhoghide is fifth in MLS in aerial challenges won with 33.
Dallas ranks fourth in aerial challenges won with 140. The team is tied for first in MLS in clearances with 108.
Anderson Julio leads MLS alongside Tani Oluwaseyi in goals scored on counterattack with two.
Paes has fisted opponents’ crosses six times, which is tied for third across MLS.
Sebastien Ibeagha is tied for 13th in MLS in clearances with 17.
Dallas is unbeaten in the last 23 MLS matches when leading at halftime (W17, D6) since May 19, 2022.