SET THE STAGE: FC Dallas vs. Minnesota United FC | 9.3.22

FRISCO, Texas - Fourth-place FC Dallas goes on the road to face third-place Minnesota United FC on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 2:30PM at Allianz Field.

Here's everything you need to know before the game.

How to Watch

TV (English): The match will be shown on Univision, TUDN and Twitter with Chris Wittyngham and Bruce Silverman on the call in English.

TV (Spanish): The game will also be shown in Spanish on Univision and TUDN with Jose Hernandez, Ramses Sandoval and Hristo Stoichkov.

LISTEN

English: If you can't watch the match, you can listen to all the action on iHeartMedia 1190AM and the iHeartMedia app hosted by Sam Hale with broadcasters Mark Followill and Steve Davis beginning at 2:15PM.

Spanish: Carlos Alvarado and Rafa Calderon will call the game in Spanish on 1270AM, starting at 2:30PM CT.

Match Overview

HEAD-TO-HEAD

• FCD record: 11-8-10 (43 points - 4th in West)
• MIN record: 13-10-5 (44 points - 3rd in West)
• FCD vs. MIN all-time: 5-6-2 (18 goal scored, 19 goals conceded)
• FCD vs. MIN all-time away: 1-5-0 (4 goal scored, 12 goals conceded)

STORY LINES

Playoff Positions on the Line
In terms of playoff implication, Saturday's game is absolutely vital for both FC Dallas and Minnesota United. Dallas sits in fourth place in the West, just one point and one place behind Minnesota who also has one game in hand. With both Nashville SC and Real Salt Lake hot on their heels with 42 points apiece, both clubs will be desperate to take all three points to stay ahead of the chasing pack. Keeping fourth place is especially crucial for Dallas as it would mean a home playoff game for at least the first round of the postseason—something FCD hasn't had since 2018.

Redemption
Dallas will be looking for a bit of revenge Saturday afternoon. Minnesota handed FCD its first home loss of the season earlier this season with a 2-1 victory at Toyota Stadium thanks to goals from Robin Lod and D.J. Taylor. The defeat was one of just three losses on home turf for Dallas this year. Now, Nico Estévez and co. will look to pay it back in kind with a trip to Allianz Field, a venue where the club has struggled in the past (0-4-0).

Velasco
Dallas' record signing Alan Velasco has really begun to prove his worth over the latter half of his maiden season in MLS. The 20-year-old Argentine has two goals and an assist in his last four games, including the opener in FCD's recent 1-1 outing against Real Salt Lake. And Velasco's contributions go beyond his goals. The winger has become much more effective in possession and improved his link-up play with his fellow attackers. Velasco has averaged an 81% passing accuracy over his last five starts compared to the 68% he averaged from his first five. His passing volume has also increased of late with 32 passing attempts per game (over last 5 games) compared to the 17 he averaged following his arrival from Independiente. Velasco's improved ability to combine with teammates with be crucial as FCD looks to earn its first-ever win at Allianz Field Saturday afternoon.