12th place FC Dallas (29 points) takes on last place Austin FC (28 points) with the Copa Tejas on the line. Win and FC Dallas brings home the trophy.
The winner of this year’s Copa Tejas will be decided by Saturday’s game between FC Dallas and Austin FC. Currently, Dallas and Houston are tied on 8 points and Austin trails closely with 6. FCD can clinch the Copa title with either a win or a draw and Austin must win to claim what would be its first-ever trophy.
Game Info
KICKOFF: October 29 at 7:00 pm CT
LOCATION: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
FORECAST: Clear, 61°F
HASHTAG: #DALvATX
TV–TXA21: Mark Followill and Steve Davis
TV–KMPX-29: Gerardo Velázquez de León, Homar Rojas, Carolina
Coronado
STREAM–FCDALLAS.COM/STREAM
RADIO–FCDALLAS.COM/RADIO
SPANISH RADIO–TUDN 1270AM: Carlos Alvarado and Rafa Calderon
Buzz’s FCD Lineup Prediction
A win is really important here: trophy, bragging rights, etc. So while the post-game shouting between Coach Marco Ferruzzi and Ricardo Pepi and Jesus Ferreira that we talked about on the latest pod might, in other circumstances, result in a game off for the two Homegrowns, I don’t think it will this time.
Ema Twumasi comes off his one-game suspension so I expect him to step back in. Jose Martinez has appeared on the injury list as questionable with a knee issue so I’ve penciled in Bressan although I hope for Nkosi Tafari.
Paxton Pomykal is probably back in after a rotation mid-week. Brandon Servania continues to play phenomenal soccer and even with Facundo Quingon off the injury list Edwin Cerrillo deserves to stay in the XI.
Bench Prediction
Kyle Zobeck
Freddy Vargas
Jose Martinez
Facundo Quignon
Franco Jara
Andres Ricaurte
Bryan Acosta
Nkosi Tafari
Szabolcs Schon
MLS Player Availability Report
FC Dallas
OUT: Beni Redžic (ankle sprain)
OUT: Johnny Nelson (back surgery)
OUT: Phelipe (thigh)
QUESTIONABLE: Jose Martinez (knee)
Austin FC
OUT: Defender Matt Besler (Concussion);
OUT: Defender Ben Sweat (Left ACL);
OUT: Midfielder Ulises Segura (Left Knee);
OUT: Forward Danny Hoesen (Left Hip);
OUT: Forward Rodney Redes (Left Knee);
OUT: Forward Aaron Schoenfeld (Left Knee)
Suspensions
SUSPENDED: None.
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD:
DAL: Jader Obrian …
ATX: Jared Stroud, Alexander Ring
SUSPENDED/FINED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS:
DAL: Matt Hedges, Bryan Acosta, Szabolcs Schon, Bressan, Franco Jara …
ATX: Julio Cascante, Daniel Pereira
Officials
REFEREE: Silviu Petrescu
AST. REFS: Logan Brown, Jeffrey Greeson
4TH OFF.: Marcos DeOliveira
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.
Petrescu MLS Career:
182 games;
FC/gm: 27.5;
Y/gm: 4.0;
R: 25;
pens: 42
MLS Kit Assignments
More Game Info
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD:
FCD 2 wins, 7 goals …
Austin FC 0 wins, 2 goals …
Ties 0
AT TOYOTA STADIUM: FCD
1 win, 2 goals …
Austin FC 0 wins, 0 goals …
Ties 0.
MOST GOALS AS A TEENAGER, SINGLE-SEASON
| Player | Goals | Club | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diego Fagundez | 13 | NE | 2013 |
| Ricardo Pepi | 13 | DAL | 2021 |
| Jozy Altidore | 9 | NYR | 2007 |
FC Dallas is 14th in the league with 44 goals scored and 11th with 44 assists, while Austin FC is last in the league with 31 goals and 22nd with 34 assists.
FC Dallas has conceded the most goals (54) in the Western Conference, while Austin FC has allowed (50) in the Western Conference. Both teams have allowed most of their goals in the second half (31).
FC Dallas has a 0.604 winning percentage and 13-7-5 record for the final home game of the season.
Jesús Ferreira set a new career-high for goal contributions in a season with seven goals and eight assists in 24 appearances.
FC Dallas is now winless in its last 10 games, which is tied for the longest active winless streak in MLS with FC Cincinnati. It is tied for the longest winless streak for the club since a 10-game drought in 2017.
FC Dallas had a 2-8-0 record (0.200 winning percentage) in games decided by one goal in 2021, while Austin FC is 4-10-0 (0.286 winning percentage) in games decided by one goal.
FC Dallas Homegrowns have scored a total of 22 goals (51.2% of FCD’s goals) and recorded 18 assists this season.
Austin FC is currently ranked first in saves per match (4.2).
Cecilio Domínguez is currently ranked first for the Club in goals scored (7), shots (65), shots on target (33), and shots on target per match (1.1).
Midfielder Diego Fagundez is two (2) assists short of joining Major League Soccer’s 50 goals-50 assists
club. Fagundez is on track to become the second-fastest MLS player to join the 50-50 club behind Landon Donovan.
50 FCD APPEARANCES
Franco Jara (46)
Brandon Servania (42)
50 FC DALLAS STARTS
Bryan Acosta (49)
Bressan (43)
Paxton Pomykal (40)
150 MLS STARTS
Ryan Hollingshead (147)
Marco hasn’t rotated the group much over the last 3 games within 8 days (you have five subs, use them!). Tonight will make it 4 games in 11 days. Most of the team started to drag at the 60 minute mark against RSL. While a handful of the guys are young, even they were gassed. The issue for FCD in the last three games hasn’t been coming out and playing well and getting ahead; the issue has been less than clinical finishing (so the other team wasn’t buried) and seeing out games. And if the team is tired, both of those issues have a decent chance of being worse. So I’m worried. I hope I’m wrong and El Tren does his thing early and often.