If we tie or lose that game, our chances of getting into the playoffs are a lot slimmer, so I’m proud of what this team is becoming. They’re playing their hearts out, they’re playing together, they’re playing for each other and for our fans, and they’re giving the club what it deserves.
FC Dallas Head Coach Eric Quill
What a win, huge. Great defense, great offense. Dallas is now undefeated in 6 (3-0-3) since kicking Lucho Acosta to the curb.
FCD now sits in 9th (the final playoff spot) with 37 points and four games to play (one of them a game in hand). They’ve put themselves back into a good position to actually make it.
Lineups and Tactics
Coach Eric Quill didn’t change a thing in the 3-5-2. Although the broadcast said he agonized over Jacob Jackson vs Michael Collodi.
68th minute, Anderson Julio replaces Logan Farrington. More on this down below.
76th minute, Pedrinho and Lalas Abubakar come on for Patrickson Delgado and Kaick.
83rd minute, Nolan Norris and Sebastian Lletget replace Christian Cappis and Petar Musa.
Our subs came in and raised the level, every one of them, and that’s all I can ask. That’s what I hope for and challenge them with before every game: that everybody’s contribution is needed, whether it’s two minutes, 10 minutes or 30 minutes, and to play your heart out because every game is a final.
Coach Eric Quill
Coach Chris Armas had the Rapids in a 4-2-3-1.
Chasing the game, 61st minute, Darren Yapi and Theo Ku-DiPietro came on for Liver Larraz and Calvin Harris.
76th minute, Alexis Monyoma replaced Connor Ronan, and Josh Atencio replaced Cole Bassett.
83rd minute, Sam Vines came on for Rafael Santos.
Goals
1-0 FC Dallas goal. 14th minute. Logan Farrington plays a well-weighted cross to Petar Musa, who heads home.
1-1 Colorado Rapids goal. 21st minute. Calvin Harris picks up a loose ball in zone 14 and finishes. The play began with an egregiously poor turnover by Patrickson Delgado.
2-1 FC Dallas goal. 36th minute. A second bite at a corner is sent in by Patrickson Delgado, and Christian Cappis pokes it home for his first FCD goal.
“It’s a great moment. My journey to get here hasn’t been easy, and it’s taken seven or eight years to break into the first team, but I feel at home. I’ve loved every minute of the last two months, and to score tonight is fantastic. To get the win on top of that, we’re over the moon.”
Christian Cappis
3-1 Colorado Rapids own goal. 80th minute. Ramiro feeds a delicate chip to Pedriho, his attempted low feed across the box is redirected in for an own goal.
Lo Bueno
Osaze Urhoghide was my FC Dallas Man of the Match. He had a dominant defensive performance, shutting down Rafael Navarro (26 touche, 1 shot, 0.3 xG).
Petar Musa and Logan Farrington‘s partnership is dialed in and delivering. A combined 7 shot-creating actions, 10 progressive passes, 5 progressive carries, 3/4 on take-ons, and 16 progressive receptions. Each is helping create space for the other. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a duel-threat like this.
Bernie Kamungo continues his fine run at left wingback. 49 touches, 3 shots, 7 progressive passes, 5 progressive carries, and 3/4 on take-ons.
What a turnaround the Dallas defense has undergone of late. Held the Rapids to just 9 shots and 2 on target with a 0.9 xG. And it’s not happening with gaudy numbers of blocks and clearances, it’s quality marking and collective shape. Check out how FCD limited the Rapids to mostly longer attempts from outside the box compared to their own quality looks from inside the box.
Dallas’ offense was clicking; the 2.6 xG (not my favorite stat) tied for the 2nd most this year. 17 shots is quite high for this team, with 6 shots on target (basically 1 in 3) being lower than I would like. I’d like to trade fewer shots for a few more on target. Just to be nitpicky.
“As their coach, I’m loving every second I get to coach them, because what you saw on the field tonight and last weekend is what I see every day in training. That’s powerful, and it wins games when the culture is thriving in practice, when nobody is looking but ourselves, because that’s when you know you have something. I love these guys, and they’re playing out of their minds.”
Coach Eric Quill
This is nice: Reggie Cannon and Petar Musa played at Boavista together.
Camino del Medio
Patrickson Delgado was both good and bad. His cross on the Cappis goal was nice, and he had 6 shot-creating actions. But he also lost focus numerous times and made some really poor passes, including a really awful, lazy one that led to the Rapids’ goal. If FCD wasn’t winning and Pedrinho was less in the doghouse, this was the kind of game that might get Delgado dropped.
Kaick had 51 touches, and while his 4-shot creating actions and 9 progressive passes are nice, his 74% passing and 4 turnovers are not. 2 blocks and 1 intercept with 0 tackles and just 5 recoveries isn’t great defensively. He’s a young player, so some hit or miss is to be expected, but the majority of his play is purely just reactive.
Muy Feo
Anderon Julio is disconnected. As I mentioned in my 3 Things, it’s not anyone’s fault. He was injured during the changeover to the new formation and hasn’t gotten enough PT yet. You can see Coach Quill forcing him in early, trying to get Julio on the same page with everyone else. They will need him at some point if this charge is to pay off.
Instant Reaction – 3 Things
