2nd in the West Seattle Sounders (41 points, 11-9-8) come to town to face 9th in the West FC Dallas (34 points, 9-10-7) at Toyota Stadium on Saturday night at 7:30 pm CT.
Thus begins a brutal 7-games-in-22-days stretch for the Frisco club.
Broadcast Info
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
English: Max Bretos and Brian Dunseth
Spanish: Diego Pessolano & Walter Roque
English Radio: 97.1 The Freak and the FC Dallas App. Owen Newkirk and Steve Davis.
Spanish Radio: Zona MX 99.1. Carlos Alvarado and Rafa Calderon.
FCD Lineup Prediction
With the two-week gap since their last game, FCD should be healthy but training took a toll.
Geovane Jesus is out for the year after blowing his ACL in training Wednesday and Ema Twumasi is questionable with a shoulder issue. Don’t be surprised if there is a late-in-the-week Collin Smith recall if Twumasi is still in doubt but I also think FCD has enough faith in Herbert Endeley off the bench to leave Smith in Birmingham.
For the XI, I will instead go with San Junqua at right in this game (even if Smith is recalled). Hopefully, Twumasi will recover in time for RSL on Wednesday.
Alan Velasco is listed as out, but in my mind, he’s only questionable as I saw him late-stage rehabbing on Wednesday. Still, no rush, so hold him out for this one either way.
According to Coach Nico Estevez, Paxton Pomykal is coming off a bout of Covid, so let’s not rush him either into the XI either.
The rest kind of the XI sets up naturally. I do hold onto an idea that you might see a 4-4-2 at some point with Jesus Jimenz or Alan Velasco up top with Jesus Ferreira. But I’m not making it my top choice.
Bench Prediction
Jimmy Maurer
Paxton Pomykal
Tsiki Ntsabeleng
Liam Fraser
Dante Sealy
Eugene Ansah
Herbert Endeley
Sebas Ibeagha
Nolan Norris
Four Four Two
I mentioned above the idea of a 4-4-2. So here’s a version of that. I do think it’s quite possible we will see this shape at some point in the short term. Maybe in this game.
MLS Injury/Player Availability Report
FC Dallas
OUT: Tarik Scott (season-ending injury)
OUT: Alan Velasco (right calf)
OUT: Bernard Kamungo (right shoulder)
OUT: Geovane Jesus (right knee season-ending)
QUESTIONABLE: Antonio Carrera (left ankle)
QUESTIONABLE: Ema Twumasi (right shoulder)
Seattle Sounders
QUESTIONABLE: Cody Baker – Concussion Protocol
QUESTIONABLE: Cristian Roldan – Concussion Protocol
OUT: Léo Chú – Suspension
OUT: Kelyn Rowe – Right Quad Strain
MLS Kit Assignments
FC Dallas is going to be in their home red and Seattle in their primary green. So I guess all the color-blind viewers are in for a rough experience.
Officials
#MLSRefStats MD 32#DALvSEA
— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) September 13, 2023
R: Allen CHAPMAN
REGULAR SEASON:
233 g, 3.70 Y/g, 48 R, 98 pens, 22.20 F/g
HOME: 231 g, 1.69 Y/g, 22 R, 57 pens, 10.55 FC/g
AWAY: 2.00 Y/g, 26 R, 39 pens, 11.62 FC/g
HOME RECORD: 138 W – 48 D – 45 L (2.000 PPG)#DTID #Sounders
Other Game Info
- FCD record: 9-10-7 (34 points – 9th in West)
- SEA record: 11-9-8 (41 points – 2nd in West)
- FCD vs. SEA all-time: 8-14-8 (31 goals scored, 45 goals conceded)
- FCD vs. SEA home: 7-4-5 (22 goals scored, 14 goals conceded)
Paul Arriola scored the 500th goal at Toyota Stadium.
FC Dallas has allowed the third-fewest goals in MLS this season (30) and ranks No. 5 in GAA (1.15)
When scoring first FC Dallas is 8-2-3 and 8-2-0 when scoring twice.
FC Dallas has scored their most goals (11) during the 76-90 minute interval of the match, third most in MLS. 22 of FC Dallas’ 29 goals have been scored in the second half.
Dallas has allowed the most goals (9) during the 31-45 minute interval of the match.
The last time FC Dallas was awarded a penalty kick in MLS action was March 12, 2022, a streak of 55 games which is now a league record.
Dallas has scored in each of their last 5 games in MLS, scoring 6 goals in that run.
FC Dallas plays seven matches over the next 22 days (Sept. 16-Oct. 7) which equals the club’s record for most games played over that time interval (June 17-July 8, 2000).
FC Dallas is 7-4-2 at home this season. FCD has lost only three times in the last 20 games at Toyota Stadium (11-4-5) including playoffs.
Maarten Paes ranks No. 3 in MLS for save percentage (74.4%) and No. 7 in goals against average (1.04).
Nico Lodeiro has scored six MLS goals against FC Dallas (regular season and playoffs) and Jordan Morris has added four goals in the series.
0.96: Goals Against Average for Stefan Frei, lowest among all goalkeepers who have played more than 4 matches.
FC Dallas All-Time Regular Season Goals
| Goals | Games | |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Kreis | 91 | 247 |
| Kenny Cooper | 46 | 121 |
| Jesus Ferreira | 46 | 133 |