FC DALLAS vs. AUSTIN FC

2021 MLS Regular Season

October 30 - 7:00PM

Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX

TXA 21 | KMPX 29 | FCDallas.com/Stream | FCDallas.com/Radio | 1270AM

DALvATX

HEAD-TO-HEAD

• FCD record: 6-9-11 (29 pts., 12th in West)
• ATX record: 8-19-4 (28 pts., 13th in West)
• FCD vs. ATX all-time: 2-0-0 (7 GF, 3 GA)
• FCD vs. ATX home: 1-0-0 (2 GF, 0 GA)

COPA TEJAS

• The trophy for the best Texas MLS team will be decided by Saturday’s game between FC Dallas and newcomers Austin FC. Currently, Dallas and Houston are tied on 8 points and Austin trails closely with 6. So, FCD can clinch the Texas title with either a win or a draw and Austin must win to claim what would be its first-ever trophy. Dallas has won both previous meetings against ATX, earning a 2-0 triumph at Toyota Stadium in August before storming to a 5-3 victory in its inaugural trip to Q2 Stadium. With both teams out of playoff contention, Saturday’s game could be the pinnacle of the winning club's 2021 season.

Defender Matt Hedges: “It’s a derby game. It’s a trophy that we want to win, and we always want to beat the Texas teams. We want to beat Houston, now we want to beat Austin. It’s what we’re all about and now we need to win this one.”

CAPTAIN MATT

• FC Dallas captain Matt Hedges scored his first goal since 2019 last game against Real Salt Lake with a looping header from Justin Che’s deep cross. Known as a goal-scoring defender, the 2020 season marked the first time Hedges went a whole campaign without registering on the scoresheet. Although the goal was ultimately outdone by Albert Rusnak’s late winner, Hedges can take some personal pride in scoring in front of the fans in Dallas’ penultimate home match.

MIDFIELD DUO

• Homegrowns Edwin Cerrillo and Brandon Servania are beginning to form a strong midfield partnership. The pair have started the last four games together and seem to have a good understanding of each other’s playstyles. Cerrillo plays slightly deeper and protects the backline which allows Servania to venture further forward to orchestrate attacks. Last game, the two combined for 90 touches, 75 passes, five shots and three tackles. Their impressive performances together provide a good basis for what we could see next season.

Midfielder Brandon Servania: “We have the same principles and tactics (from) growing up in the Academy together…I think the fact that we have chemistry from the Academy definitely helps us when we get out on the field in MLS. It’s still growing, it’s still improving but I think we’ve done the best we can and we’re still trying to improve every day.”