FC Dallas advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2022 US Open Cup by knocking off FC Tulsa back in April. Los Toros travel to KC tonight to face Sporting. A win will see either team advance to the Round of 16.
You can read the complete FC Dallas history in the US Open Cup here.
Broadcast Info
TV (English): ESPN+, no market restrictions.
English Radio: FCDallas.com/Radio. The pregame show starts at 7 pm CT.
Lineup Prediction
In some conversations with Coach Nico Estevez earlier this year about getting fringe rotation players more playing time he specifically mentioned the Open Cup. Combined with the, pretty much, complete rotation against Tulsa, I’m expecting some of the same genre in this one.
FCD has been working on alternate formation, but we’ll continue with the normal 4-3-3 until Coach starts doing other things from the whistle.
Brandon Servania is available and with Facundo Quingnon starting the last game, Edwin Cerrillo is too. As good as Paxton Pomykal was in the last game he’s gone 90 in two straight so let’s rotate him for someone. I would say Thomas Roberts as he’s more Pomykal’s back up and Tsiki Ntsabeleng is Servania’s but Roberts hasn’t even come off the bench yet so I’ll stick with Ntsabeleng as the prediction.
Szabolcs Schön, Jáder Obrian, and Franco Jara are all in the rotation and make sense to start up top.
Jimmy Maurer in net seems obvious as well.
The backline is more complicated. Nanu being in a battle with Ema Twumasi seems obvious to get a go. The need for minutes for both Nkosi Tafari and Lucas Bartlett leads me to them.
Joshué Quiñónez is higher in the rotation – in my mind anyway – than Bartlett. But I think the club is desperate to get Bartlett high-level games. I could easily see Quiñónez in for pretty much anyone on the backline.
Left back is where it gets super interesting to me. Eddie Munjoma gets all the backup rotations at left back in FCD training as Isaiah Parker is with North Texas. I’d be tempted to say Parker could be brought in for this one but I think Sporting is too good and Munjoma will get the call as he did against Tulsa last month.
I do wonder if we might see a veteran center back in there – Jose Martinez perhaps – rather than Tafari to help lead the kids (Munjoma on his left, Bartlett on his right).
Bench Prediction
Antonio Carrera
Isaiah Parker
Joshué Quiñónez
Ema Twumasi
Thomas Roberts
Kalil ElMedkhar
Beni Redzic
Jesus Ferreira
Facundo Quignon
Kit Assignements
No kit chart by MLS, but assuming Sporting is in their home blues, Dallas will be in their red tops. It’s possible we might see red socks rather than navy for FCD. While I would hope to see the white shorts, I’m not optimistic.
Rough Road Stretch Coming Up
This Cup game at Sporting is the first in a 4 road games in the next 5 stretch for all of May. June makes the run 6 of the nest 8 on the road. Lots of really good teams in there too, at least really high in the standings teams.
That’s a tough run and how FCD handles it should tell us a lot about where they stand in the season-long big picture.
Versus Sporting KC in the Open Cup
Dallas has never beaten Kansas City in the Open Cup.
In 2018, FC Dallas was eliminated by Sporting in the Round of 16. Carlos Gruezo opened the scoring early and Roland Lamah tied it back up at 2 late. Daniel Salloi has a brace along the way. Yohan Croizet grabs the winner in the 89th minute.
Sporting also eliminated FCD in 2017 by a 3-0 score at the Quarterfinal stage. Despite being a man down from the 15th minute, KC took it to OT and scored three goals in the extra period. Maxi Urruti was red carded in OT.
FC Dallas won the Open Cup in 2016 while not facing KC along the way.
Back in 2015, Sporting kicked Dallas in the teeth with a 6-2 win in the 5th Round. Dom Dwyer scored 4 goals that day.
Prior to 2015, there wasn’t regional play so FCD faced KC far more infrequently. Only once in fact.
Way back in 2004, the Kansas City Wizards knocked off the Dallas Burn (Yes, the same two teams) 4-0. The Wizards won the USOC that year.
FC Dallas, then the Dallas Burn, also won the 1997 US Open Cup. Their first major trophy.
I woulda sworn that I had been to two DAL v KC USOC games in KC. But, concussions and old age may have me wrong. Lindstrom would know. hahahahaha
Oh and by that I do mean quite some time ago. Like in 04 and another right around there. Just remember crazy lady KC supporter.
2004 was at Blue Valley Athletic Complex, Overland Park, Kansas.