Match Preview - FC dallas
Game Info
Kickoff: 7:39pm CT
Watch: Apple TV
Location: Toyota Stadium – Frisco, TX
All-Time H2H Record
Austin FC has a record of 3W-5L-2D against FC Dallas in all competitions.
Austin FC won 2-1 on March 30 at Q2 Stadium behind goals from Julio Cascante and Diego Rubio. FC Dallas hasn’t beaten an 11-man Austin FC side since October 30, 2021.
FC Dallas Recent Form
The first time we saw FC Dallas this season they were in the midst of an injury-riddled start to their 2024 campaign. After winning their season opening match against San Jose, our rivals to the north have earned just five points from their subsequent nine league matches, including a 3-1 road defeat at the hands of last year’s wooden spoon winners Toronto FC.
Austin took care of business at home back in March and there’s not much to grab from the five league matches for FC Dallas since. While they’ll still be without names like Alan Velasco and Paxton Pomykal until the fall at best, they are getting healthier as a whole, with Asier Illarramendi and Jesus Ferreira back in action. The latter has only made two starts and five total appearances all season in league play. Ferreira came off the bench in last Saturday’s loss in Toronto, but he’s predictably made a significant impact in the 263 minutes he’s played, leading FC Dallas in assists (with just two) and second only in goal contributions to new DP striker Petar Musa.
Outside of the poor form FC Dallas has displayed entering this match, there’s another twist to factor in a few days out from kickoff. Dallas qualified their first team for the US Open Cup in 2024, something that Austin FC failed to do due to their final placement in the MLS table last season. Their first match of the tournament took place on Tuesday evening in Frisco and it went almost as well as it possibly could have for fans of the Verde & Black. Memphis 901 FC was in town for the Round of 32 match and FC Dallas put out a first choice lineup that included Ferreira.
While FC Dallas ultimately emerged victorious after a goal from rookie Superdraft pick Logan Farrington in the 73’ (that was assisted by Ferreira), they ran the majority of their starters the full 90’. Coming in on short rest is far from a guarantee that Austin FC can grab a result on Saturday, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. I’d expect to see a very similar lineup for Dallas for this one with an air of desperation hanging over Toyota Stadium as they sit just one point above last place in the Western Conference.
Austin’s Recent Form
It feels like longer ago than it was, but Austin FC’s form coming into the first meeting between these clubs this season was equally as dismal as Frisco’s. That 2-1 home victory was the Verde & Black’s first of the season six games into the 2024 campaign and kicked off the current run of form that has seen ATX grab 13 of the 18 available points in the six matches since. That win was also the first time we saw Sebastián Driussi play a full 90 minutes in 2024, something he has accomplished every match since.
Even with the good vibes that have permeated the Austin FC universe since late March, the club is still struggling to put out a visually pleasing road performance. The 1-0 smash and grab win in Houston last month didn’t feel like an outcome that is easily replicable with the way the coaching staff is orienting the game plan away from home. That said, I’m not suggesting that the way they’re approaching these matches is incorrect, quite the contrary. We’ve seen both local and national media praise the pragmatic approach that we’ve seen from the bench. For a team that was predicted by many pundits to be at the bottom of the Western Conference, sitting 10th in the Supporter’s Shield standings is something to be proud of now that we are a third of the way through the regular season schedule.
That won’t stop the Verde faithful, myself included, from yearning for a more aggressive offensive style this Saturday. With our rivals to the north limping into this match lacking confidence and on short rest, the emotional fan side of me says let’s put it on ‘em. The coach in me however says stick with the plan. Because the plan has worked! Coach Wolff has stated multiple times to the media that they’re focused on knowing who they are. They want to average a point per game on the road and two points per game at home, which is historically more than enough to clinch a playoff spot. Their goal of making the postseason has not wavered through the positive results. While you can come to The North End for such things, it appears that there are no delusions of grandeur inside that ATX locker room.
I expect to see a very similar gameplan against FC Dallas to what we have seen on the road to this point of the season. Austin has found success (or as some would call it, overperforming the underlying metrics) by allowing a larger quantity of opponent shot attempts while limiting the quality of said attempts. With a back line that is performing with increased cohesion game over game and the best shot stopper in MLS this season in net, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
That said, the offense was far from perfect last Saturday in Vancouver. Coach Wolff said as much in the postgame press conference. This is still a team with just one road goal recorded through five outings in 2024 (to their credit, they’ve only conceded three away from home). Even if the chance creation remains low this weekend, we should all be expecting the team to look more comfortable when on the ball. From the intricate passing required of all eleven guys on the pitch to the service from long through balls over the top or dumping crosses into the box, an Austin FC that brings more zip and zest to the attack and is crisper overall in possession feels like a requirement to nab three points on the road. Otherwise, we’re likely in for another road goose-egg on the scoreboard from the good guys.
Injury Report
ATX – Ethan Finlay (Questionable - Hamstring)
DAL – Paul Arriola (Questionable - Calf), Amet Korça (Out - Groin), Sebastian Lletget (Hamstring - Out), Paxton Pomykal (Out – Knee), Alan Velasco (Out – Knee), Geovane Jesus (Out – Knee)
FC Dallas Players To Watch
Petar Musa – As slow as FC Dallas has been out of the gates this season, they’re still led in goal contributions by their marquee offseason acquisition in Musa. The big striker assisted the lone Dallas goal back in March at Q2 Stadium and the Austin FC back line will have their hands full now that he’s likely to have Ferreira feeding him service in every way imaginable.
Jesus Ferreira – Player to watch? Well, duh. Still, let’s not forget just how dangerous Ferreira has been against Austin in this matchup historically. Let’s also not forget that the Verde & Black are still thinking about the USMNT striker’s antics at Q2 Stadium in 2023. The attacking talent for Dallas doesn’t jive with their lowly results to this point of the season, it’s up to Austin to make sure this isn’t a get-right game for Frisco.
Maarten Paes – One of the biggest surprises from this Dallas team in 2024 for me is the average nature of their goalkeeping through ten matches. I’ve always held Paes in high regard and am thankful when the good guys can find a way past him. It doesn’t happen often, but he’s been beatable to this point of the year, thanks in part to the injury riddled start. He’s shown in 2024 that if he cracks once, it can snowball into multiple goals allowed. If Austin can sneak one in the net early, they could be in for their first multi-goal road performance of the season.
Austin’s Keys To The Game
Stick To The Plan – As I mentioned above, I’m holding out hope that we see a more aggressive Austin FC offensively this Saturday. But no matter what the plan is coming into the match, this team has found success by sticking with what they set out to do on a game-by-game basis. Has it always resulted in fans walking away happy? Nope. But you can’t argue with the results through the first third of the season based on expectations in late February. Whatever this coaching staff is selling, the players are clearly buying.
Respond Accordingly – If Dallas does get on the board, can Austin respond? Although ATX got the “score first or bust” monkey off their backs against this team in late March (and again the next week against San Jose), we have yet to see the Verde & Black be able to score against a team that get’s the better of them first on the road. If the unfortunate comes to pass and Austin FC finds themselves trailing, I’m hopeful that we’ll see a similar pragmatism with the in-game adjustments to come back and find an equalizer.
Be Kings – Austin FC are the back-to-back Copa Tejas champions. They can put themselves on the verge of a three-peat with a victory in Frisco on Saturday, which would also be the first time ATX brought home all three points from Toyota Stadium. Win and we’ll be walking into Q2 on Wednesday ready to crown the Kings of Texas once again.
The North End’s Predictions
ZG – 1-1 Draw
E – Austin FC 1-0
