Papi is back in town. One of the faces on the Mount Rushmore of FC Dallas, Oscar Pareja, comes back to Dallas leading his Orlando City side who can clinch a playoff spot with a win at Dallas.
10th in the West FC Dallas (37 points, 10-13-7) hosts 5th in the East Orlando City SC (43 points, 12-11-7) at 7:30 pm at Toyota Stadium.
FCD is 5 points behind Minnesota United for the last playoff spot in the West with 4 games to play. That means FCD needs 2 more wins than the Loons over the final stretch.
Broadcast Info
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Apple TV English: Mark Followill, Warren Barton
Apple TV Spanish: Raul Guzman, Martin Zuniga
English Radio: 1190 am and the FC Dallas App. Owen Newkirk and Steve Davis are on the call. Pregame at 7 pm CT with Sam Hale.
Spanish Radio: FC Dallas app with Carlos Alvarado and Jimmy Venegas.
MLS Injury/Player Availability Report
FC Dallas
OUT: Geovane Jesus (knee)
OUT: Paxton Pomykal (knee)
OUT: Liam Fraser (upper leg)
SUSPENDED: Asier Illarramendi (yellow cards)
Orlando City
OUT: David Brekalo (Thigh)
OUT: Mason Stajduhar (Lower Leg)
QUESTIONABLE: Dagur Dan Thórhallsson (Lower Leg
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD
ORL: Wilder Cartagena, Ramiro Enrique
FCD: None
FCD Lineup Prediction
There was one big lineup question coming out of the LAFC game, was Nkosi Tafari rested or benched? I had a thought during the game that Omar Gonzalez might just have been the choice against the very experienced Kei Kamara that he knows well. Might have it just been about the match-up?
It may not matter, most coaches will tend to give a winning team another run. So bench or rested, I went with Gonzalez again in my XI below over Tafari. Quite obviously, Tafari could just as easily be back in at right CB with Sebastien Ibegha in the middle
Other than that, Asier Illarramendi is suspended for yellow card accumulation. With Show Cafumana clear of the injured list and Patrickson Delgao‘s subpar player (goal aside), I’ve got Sebastian Lletget in the middle next to Show.
After the game last week, Coach Luccin said Petar Musa just had a contact knock and they were confident he would be fine. Since he’s not on the injury list I have him in. Logan Farrington is the clear choice if Musa can’t go.
Bench Prediction
Jimmy Maurer
Sam Junqua
Ema Twumasi
Nolan Norris
Tsiki NtsabelengOmar Gonzalez Nkosi Tafari (edit: derp)
Bernard Kamungo
Logan Farrington
Patrickson Delgado
MLS Kit Assignments
Yup, white at home.
Again.
Officials
REFEREE: Jair Marrufo
ASSISTANT REFEREES: Chris Wattam, Felisha Mariscal
4TH OFFICIAL: Matthew Corrigan
VAR: Ismail Elfath
ASSISTANT VAR: Mike Kampmeinert
More Game Info
- FCD record: 10-13-7 (37 points, 10th in West)
- ORL record: 12-11-7 (43 points, 5th in East)
- FCD vs. ORL all-time: 4-1-2 (11 goals scored, 3 goals conceded)
- FCD vs. ORL home: 2-0-1 (6 goals scored, 0 goals conceded)
FC Dallas is 7-5-2 in MLS play and 7-8-2 in all competitions under interim head coach Peter Luccin.
FC Dallas is 4-11-0 in games decided by one goal.
Dallas is also 3-10-3 when conceding first and 1-6-1 when trailing at halftime.
On the other hand, FC Dallas has a record of 5-1-0 when leading at half-time.
Unfortunately, just 19 of FCD’s 49 goals have come in the first half with 30 in the 2nd.
Facundo Torres is one goal off the all-time Orlando City scoring record of 44 goals (Cyle Larin).
No FC Dallas player has been sent off during the current campaign with a straight red card.
FC Dallas ranks second in MLS in aerial challenges won in ball control with 46.83%. (A stat that feels wrong given the amount of goals off crosses.)
Facundo Torres (25) is one assist away from tying former Lions captain Nani (26) for second on the Club’s all-time assist chart.
FC Dallas is fourth in MLS in clear-cut chances converted with (11) and ranks third in clear-cut chances converted percentage with 67.64%.
No team in MLS was saved by the post or crossbar more often than FC Dallas (14 times).
Orlando City has scored a total of five goals across its last two matches this past week. The Lions have scored multiple goals in 11 of their past 13 MLS regular season matches
Alan Velasco scored his first goal of the season on September 18. This was Velasco’s first goal in 340 days.
Logan Farrington is one of six players in MLS history to record multiple games with a goal and an assist off the bench in a single season.
Logan Farrington ranks first in assists for FC Dallas with eight.
Maarten Paes ranks third overall in MLS in saves made with 114.
Paul Arriola has covered 165.75 miles (266.74 km), the most by an FC Dallas player this season.
FC Dallas Single Season Goals Record
| Player | Season | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Kries | 1999 | 18 |
| Kenny Cooper | 2008 | 18 |
| Jesus Ferreira | 2022 | 18 |
| Jeff Cunningham | 2009 | 17 |
| Ariel Graziani | 2000 | 15 |
| Petar Musa | 2024 | 15 |