FC Dallas has dropped consecutive matches for the first time in over a year after a 2-1 loss on the road against Chicago on Thursday night. Here are three things to take away from the match as the team looks ahead to Sunday’s Texas Derby match against Houston.
Slump, Don’t Sink
While it’s two straight losses for Dallas after a dominating start to the season, it’s not time to sound the alarm yet. The two games are vastly different and although FCD has won just once in their last five matches, they’re still in good shape based on their early season form. Oscar Pareja left five starters at home and as long as it pays off this weekend against a Dynamo team without a point on the road this season, things will be alright in Frisco. The club isn’t focused on running the table, they’re finding their identity and options for a late season run at the last trophy left to capture.
Development Step
FC Dallas sent out a youthful lineup with Walker Hume making his MLS debut, Carlos Cermeño and Aaron Guillen getting their second starts and leaving big names such as Maxi Urruti, Walker Zimmerman, Kellyn Acosta and Hernan Grana at home. Pareja said after the match it’s a necessary step with three games in nine days, but also after a busy start to the season and an upcoming busy stretch with Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play on the horizon.
Dallas needed to get the young guys some game action with international call-ups looming for World Cup Qualifying and the Gold Cup in the summer and there’s no better time to do so than a midweek game against a non-conference foe. Matt Hedges, Zimmerman, Acosta, Carlos Gruezo, Maynor Figueroa and Tesho Akindele will all miss time with National Team duties in the coming months. It’s almost guaranteed. Tonight’s experience for some depth players will prove vital down the road.
Spreading the Offense
Left to their own devices in the attack, Roland Lamah and Cristian Colman both found the scoresheet for the first time in MLS. Akindele and Hedges were the only starters Thursday that had scored a league goal in 2017 and it was important for these two in particular to have a positive takeaway from a frustrating start to the season in production. It wasn’t a pretty goal, but the work of Colman pressuring in the box and the pouncing finish from Lamah to get on the board is good for the offense as a whole going forward.
