With the CONCACAF Champions League exit and Bye Week in the past, FC Dallas looks to add their first tally to the win column for their MLS 2018 campaign.
FC Dallas has started their MLS season with a home draw against Real Salt Lake, salvaging a point late in the 86th minute with an own-goal by RSL defender Marcelo Silva. In game with 18 total shots by FC Dallas, and a few good glances by the talisman Mauro Diaz, the final touch was just not there.
They have now had two weeks since their last game after playing three games within 10 days for Champions League and MLS play and hope to bounce back and leave the past behind them against a potentially worn and depleted Seattle Sounders.
The Sounders had CCL aspirations of their own, but crashed out in the second leg of their series versus Chivas of Liga MX in a 3-1 loss on aggregate. With travel fatigue, demoralization and injuries plaguing their lineup, FC Dallas will have to pounce on the opportunity to right the ship and break the rust.
Seattle will be without many multiple key players on all fronts of the field, and a few additional players listed as questionable. The young attacker American Jordan Morris will be out for the season and defensive centerpiece Ozzie Alonso will be out due to a quad strain. Forward Will Bruin and defender Chad Marshall will be questionable as both had picked up injuries during their bout with Chivas, and were subbed off before the end of the match.
FC Dallas are without local USMNT star Kellyn Acosta for at least another month after a sports hernia surgery, and newcomer defender Anton Nedyalkov may be questionable after an Achilles injury earlier in the month.
Coach Oscar Pareja still has depth in defense and midfield, but it will be interesting to see who he rolls out to cover those spots or which formation he’ll go with. Keep an eye out for up-and-comer Jacori Hayes, who has turned heads in the FCD-sphere with his recent performance against RSL and in the offseason.
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