FC Dallas holds down the Dynamo in final preseason tuneup

For the most part, preseason games don’t have a lot of meaning in terms of wins and losses. But as the season approaches the results begin to carry more important. That’s why most FC Dallas fans – and likely Coach Luchi Gonzalez – will be pretty pleased with the result in Houston on Saturday afternoon as FC Dallas took care of the Dynamo 3-0.

La Copita. (Courtesy Houston Dynamo)

With this result, FC Dallas wins the inaugural La Copita, The Best Little Cup in Texas. This is the 2nd preseason cup win during Coach Luchi Gonzalez’s tenure after the 2019 Sun Cup. While preseason cups don’t hold great value, it is kind of fun and the overall positive play has to please the staff. According to FCD, the club scored 11 goals allowing just 3 (two PKs vs Austin) in their three cup games.

On the other hand, FC Dallas only played USL teams, an MLS expansion team, and the worst team in the Western Conference in 2020 (4 wins) who are in rebuild mode.

After Tim Parker hit him a couple of times early and got in his face, Franco Jara put in a Man of the Match performance including a cracker of a goal in the 37th minute.

Shortly after, Andres Ricaurte tried a very ambitious splitting pass into the box leading Ryan Hollingshead. With a little lucky bounce off the defender, Hollingshead finished for the 2-0 lead.

Jesus Ferreira – who had subbed in for Jara – put the game out of reach with the closing third goal. Ferreira steals the ball after a misplay by the Dynamo center back, finds himself in on the keeper, and calmly shoots far post for the goal.

Overall it was a solid performance and FC Dallas will feel quite good about the form going into the opener game of the season.

One tactical note, Coach Gonzalez went to the 3-4-3 again and the club continues to improve in it. So expect to see it more this year. Here’s the starting XI for FC Dallas.

The FC Dallas starting XI at Houston Dynamo, April 10, 2021, in the final preseason tune up.

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