FC DALLAS vs. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
2021 MLS Regular Season
July 4 - 7:30PM
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
TXA 21 | KMPX-29 | FCDallas.com/Stream | FCDallas.com/Radio | 1270AM
#DALvVAN
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- FCD record
- : 2-4-4 (10 pts., 11th in West)
- VAN record: 2-6-2 (8 pts., 13th in West)
- FCD vs. VAN all-time: 10-6-6 (30 GF, 26 GA)
- FCD vs. VAN home: 7-1-2 (18 GF, 10 GA)
BUILD MOMENTUM
- FC Dallas has a chance to build up a head of steam against last-place Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Last week, FCD got a win over the Eastern Conference's top team in New England Revolution which helped Dallas leapfrog Vancouver into 11th place in the West. Sunday's game is FCD's last home match before embarking on a three-game road trip, so three points at Toyota Stadium would be the perfect send off. But it won't be easy. While Vancouver currently sits in last place, Marc Dos Santos' men earned a 1-1 draw with the high-flying Seattle Sounders last time out.
Defender
Ryan Hollingshead: "We're very confident here at home and looking to build off a big-time win over the weekend. Vancouver is a scrappy team, they're going to come here ready to play. They've been living in Salt Lake this whole time because they're not able to cross the border so these guys are hungry, they're putting their lives on hold to be playing this season. So, they've got nothing to lose and they'll come here ready to go."
RICARDO PEPI
- Eighteen-year-old forward
- Ricardo Pepi scored his first-ever MLS brace last week, making him FCD's leading scorer this season. With four goals from just 381 game minutes this year, Pepi is averaging a goal every 95 minutes. Although the El Paso native is still young, he's proving he has all the ability and drive to be a difference-maker right now. Considering the Whitecaps have conceded the second-most goals in the West (16), Pepi has a strong opportunity to add to his tally this weekend.
Head Coach
Luchi Gonzalez: "Ricardo continues to be called a young player, the player of the future. But I know he's on a mission to show that he can impact the game now and he showed that in the last game. That was his first brace for the jersey at the first team level and he has all that potential. So, really proud of him and just the energy that he showed. The mobility to play against a physical and athletic back line but to still find spaces, get shots off and play with a chip on his shoulder."
PLAYSTYLE
- After Dallas' 2-1 win over the Revolution, Luchi Gonzalez spoke about how he and his team had needed to be more pragmatic to get the result against such a dangerous opponent. Typically FCD dominates the possession statistics (especially at home), but against New England, Dallas let them have the majority of ball and defended in numbers before hitting the Revs on the counter. While that pragmatism may have been born out of necessity to contain New England's attack, there's a possibility it could be a hallmark of Dallas' play going forward.
"I think you see a foundation within the group. We're not afraid to touch the ball and play around different presses. I think the efficiency wasn't showing in our results in terms of our verticality to get in behind lines, to get closer to the opponents goal, to get shots off. We had less shots against New England last game but they were higher quality chances. So that's going to be the focus."
