Last week, a small nondescript white package landed on my front step, and before I let my wife see what terrible expenditure I had made, I whisked it away to my home office and recording studio, unpacking with excitement.

What greeted me was Sam Sarver, albeit a “brick-style” action figure, complete with trademark hair line and cold Modelo in his hand.

The Sarver figure was actually larger than I anticipated. For sure, this was going to just be a cute and over-priced Lego-style figure, but instead, the dude is a bit larger than life. The texture, if you care about such things, is fine. See the photo below for reference.

The Sam Sarver figure is courtesy of 1996NYDesign, an Etsy shop featuring custom-printed soccer “block or brick” style figures that just ooze with fun and trips down memory lane. The designer, Bill Reese, has pleasantly been working a bit extra to keep up with demands on these fun novelty pieces of soccer nerds like us. You’ll find some other fun ones in the shop, including a New York Red Bull era Dax McCarty that I almost added to the cart.

You can even order your own custom figures if you want.

But Sarver? I had to have this one to highlight the remarkable journey of our team’s unlikely talisman, a SuperDraft pick turned MLS Next Pro Golden Boot winner turned FC Dallas late game magic maker. It’s only a shame that Sarver didn’t make the cut with the 2026 World Cup. If he did, I imagine these collectives would skyrocket in price.

In short, it’s a fun memento to cap what is quickly becoming a memorable year of soccer in the US.

I recommend giving 1996 NY Designs a follow on BlueSky to see what else they have printing down the line.

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The US Men’s National Team just played to a decent 3-2 win over Senegal in their first warmup ahead of the biggest sporting event in the world. No surprises but our very own Ricardo Pepi was key to the opening two goals.

With the World Cup on our mind, I always like to have a little fun as an FC Dallas supporter. Imagine this pointless scenario: a future USMNT head coach irrationally believes that only FC Dallas developed players with American citizenship should be called up to the national team.

Could one build a roster for the 2026 World Cup? Yes.

Could such a roster win it all? Very, very unlikely.

Could the roster be competitive, like winning a few games or even escaping its group? Maybe, but it would need to be a favorable group.

My rules are pretty simple. To be chosen by this delusional head coach, the player needs to have an FC Dallas academy connection or have been a draft pick developed through the FC Dallas system. Guys like Paul Arriola would not make the list. In the future, you could imagine someone like Kaick qualifying, who joined FC Dallas as an 18 year old) if he were to gain citizenship in the US. But really, the key is development — I want guys who were formed in the Frisco way.

Below is my proposed 26 man squad.

Attackers (7): Ricardo Pepi, Alejandro Zendejas, Jesús Ferreira, Logan Farrington, Bernard Kamungo, Sam Sarver, Dante Sealy

Headlined by Pepi, Zendejas, and Ferreira, the top of that lineup would put this mythical FC Dallas-saturated squad in a better position than lots of national team programs. Ricardo is a true star and goalscorer. Alex is dynamic star for one of the best Mexican teams. Jesus has had a decent national team career, even if he hasn’t quite gotten back to the form that earned him a spot on the 2022 World Cup squad. I don’t mind this attacking trio to start most games and give the team at least a shot to bang in some fun goals.

It’s the depth that gives us pause. Yes, we love Logan Farrington for his work ethic. Sam Sarver would be a joy to watch on the international stage as a late game sub and hype machine (also Modelo sponsorship money). Bernard Kamungo is oft-injured but did have his moment in the national team not long ago. In this thin group, he’s fine.

Closing out with Dante Sealy, who did have a great 2025 campaign with Montreal and is now with Colorado, doesn’t inspire much enthusiasm. But we need bodies.

There are simply not enough attackers. I’d love one or two more proven guys, but FC Dallas hasn’t quite developed those marquee talents in this area of the pitch recently. I am sure I could dig around at a few other former North Texas guys, but that’s just wishful thinking. I like Nicholas Simmonds, for example, but it’s way too early for him at this stage of his development.

Midfielders (8): Weston McKennie, Tanner Tessmann, Edwin Cerrillo, Christian Cappis, Matthew Corcoran, Kellyn Acosta, Brandon Servania, Caleb Swann

Again, the top end of this talent pool isn’t bad at all. We love Weston, and I’ve been beating the drum for FC Dallas to spend a lot to bring the jack-of-all-trades back to Frisco. It will never happen. Tanner Tessmann continues to rise after another good year in France. They form a solid pairing in the middle of the park.

Edwin and Christian are both good MLS guys, who give you some flexibility in midfield. Add in Matthew Corcoran, still developing here in MLS with Nashville despite making his debut with North Texas a few years back.

Beyond that it’s a bit more of a gamble. I chose a veteran near the tail end of his career, Kellyn Acosta, who is contributing to a good Polish team and would be a veteran leader with international experience, and then Brandon Servania, who has carved out a solid MLS career and has a single cap to his name. Youngster Caleb Swann gets the nod just for the fun of it, but you could argue Diego Garcia would give this group more attacking flair. It’s a toss-up between the two.

But, yeah, the drop off after the first couple of names is significant.

Defenders (8): Chris Richards, Nolan Norris, Shaq Moore, Reggie Cannon, Nkosi Tafari, Bryan Reynolds, Nico Carrera, Josh Torquato

The situation here gets more complicated. I tried not to worry too much about position needs but ended up with four central defenders and four guys who can give you minutes at outside back.

Obviously, Chris Richards is one of the best defenders the academy has ever-produced and is a lock. I think Nolan Norris has the potential to ascend into that status too and love that he can play on the left side. He just got called up to the U21s again. Bryan Reynolds is a regular at Westerlo in Belgium, so he likely becomes a lock starter too. Shaq Moore and Reggie Cannon have international experience and would be fine veterans to mix in.

Nkosi Tafari, now starting regularly with LAFC, is a good rotation piece, and as we know, sometimes he can be stellar.

Nico Carrera (at Atlante in Liga MX) and Ryan Hollingshead (at LAFC) round out the depth. Hollingshead has, of course, dipped a bit in his play late in his career, but he gives you flexibility and leadership.

I did have the luxury of leaving a couple of guys off, like Walker Zimmerman (at Toronto now), Justin Che (one appearance for New York Red Bulls), and Josh Torquato, who would be a nice left-sided option but needs a bit more seasoning.

Goalkeepers (3): Michael Collodi, Julian Eyestone, Antonio Carrera

This would be the toughest category. If we were talking late 2025 Collodi, we could feel some confidence that we had at least one in-form keeper to throw in goal and give the team a shot. Collodi has had a rough season and may have lost his starting job. Who knew that would happen?

Julian Eyestone is the next best option, signed to a deal with Brentford but yet to make his English debut. Maybe he starts over Collodi at this point? He too just got called into the US U21s, so maybe this is a timely article.

Beyond that, the pickings are slim, unless you really want to go super young or take a swing on some former North Texas SC guy. Antonio Carrera is with Tigres, and he has US citizenship. I will go with him over Nico Montoya at North Texas. Nico just got the nod for the Colombia youth national team, by the way.

And there it is — an FC Dallas 26 man World Cup roster that needs work but could make Frisco natives proud.

• Who did I miss?

• Who would you swap out?

• Which FC Dallas alum are you expecting to have a great tournament?

Due to scheduling issues and work conferences, there will be no usual Afterburn Soccer Show this week. Look for a makeup soon to celebrate that nice road win for FC Dallas over the weekend, a super gritty performance that has feeling optimistic about the season.

Right now, the 2026 World Cup is on my mind, and I can’t help but think about the scenarios that could impact FC Dallas’ season ahead through this unpredictable global tournament.

There are two FC Dallas players who are due to earn some key minutes for their nations starting in June, and depending on their performances, their trajectory could shift our hopes and expectations for the Burn. Could this roster get stronger after the World Cup? Sure. Could we also be heading toward a departure or two? Maybe.

First Scenario: Petar Musa stays in strong form, and FC Dallas gets an offer they cannot refuse.

It’s been talked about to death, but there is a strong possibility Petar Musa has played his last game in an FC Dallas kit. The Croatian international is one of Major League Soccer’s top goal scorers and, really, FC Dallas’ best striker ever. He is prolific and has produced even when the total product around him isn’t as good as it could be. Musa is a fan favorite - he is marketable and a joy to watch.

In short, we don’t want his time with FC Dallas to end so soon.

But strong possibility does not mean it is a foregone conclusion. Musa may not get a ton of playing time for Croatia during the World Cup. He could feature off the bench. He could bang in some goals, and he could also have a quiet performance. So much depends on the game state in this tournament.

Of course, if he does bang in some goals and guides Croatia to a deep run, the flip side of a potential departure for Musa is that FC Dallas will get paid. World class strikers don’t grow on trees, and big teams will be lining up to bid for an in-prime goal scorer. That return on investment will be nice, even it will be tough to say goodbye to a guy who is in contention for the golden boot in Major League Soccer.

If Musa leaves, expect FC Dallas’ contender status to take a hit. How the heck do you replace that many goals, that lethal of a striker, a guy who has elevated this team? As much as we love Logan Farrington, is he ready to be the guy who can replace Petar Musa? Can the team go out and find someone who can provide the same offensive output in the summer transfer window? It will be tough.

It will be a win for Musa and for the bank account - but not necessarily for the expectations this season. A Musa departure doesn’t close the door on a playoff run, but it does lower the ceiling. I am not looking forward to this change, even if I want Petar Musa to get the payday he deserves.

Second Scenario: Deedson gets hot and also gets sold.

I wish I could go back in time and head off whatever forces brought Don Deedson Louicius to FC Dallas. The guy isn’t the worst ever FC Dallas signing. As a regular Haitian international and with solid clubs like OB, he has banged out a decent career for himself and definitely has some quality. The problem is just that he doesn’t fit. He’s not a wing back, and Dallas, through other unfortunate circumstances (aka the Lucho debacle), had to shift to a more practical formation that doesn’t rely on wingers.

He’s just an odd man out at the moment.

Since his summer signing, he’s featured in 274 minutes with just 3 starts and a single goal to his name.

That is not good enough for the cap hit, the international roster spot given up, and the rest of the roster needs.

The good news is that Deedson has a chance to shine at the World Cup, to go out and score a goal or two and guide his country to a decent showing. If he does so, maybe some other teams will be interested. Could he move somewhere else in Major League Soccer? Perhaps a Mexican club will be interested in the Haitian winger? Maybe FC Dallas could open this roster spot and have room to bring in another face who does fit the current project.

In short, I want him to do well, because I think the Deedson experience should come to a close. That roster spot could then create room to grab a breakout star whose stock is on the rise… or heck, bring Edouard Nys up to the senior team.

Third Scenario: FC Dallas’ brand continues to rise.

With guys like Ricardo Pepi, Weston McKennie, Chris Richards, and Alejandro Zendejas expected to play key roles, FC Dallas is going to get plenty of love from announcers and analysts. Their rise will only highlight that Dallas/Ft Worth has a talent pipeline to pay attention to.

And, who knows, maybe there is a chance Tanner Tessmann gets the call-up if someone is injured.

Add in the focus on games in Dallas — there will be international eyes and ears on Frisco throughout the tournament.

All of that will boost the FC Dallas brand as a destination and producer of talent. It’s a great moment for the club, and hopefully, it will boost attendance after the World Cup and lay the seed for the next golden talent to start making their way through the academy. It’s up to FC Dallas to make the most of this moment, and their social media work shows they are.

Shout out to the amazing media crew for being ready to highlight these stories. I highly recommend the work they are doing right now, with academy photos to highlight the long and winding path for guys like Weston, Ricardo, and Zendejas to rise to stardom. Let’s be ready for the next twist and turn on their journeys and the journey of this club.

Well, I love writing about both FC Dallas and North Texas Soccer Club after strong performances. It just makes life easier. We aren’t having to dwell on what choices the staff need to make to correct course. We don’t have to deal with players who aren’t contributing. We can feel pretty good about things.

Of course, this weekend wasn’t perfect, but FC Dallas went on the road and saw out a big 2-1 away win at Colorado.

North Texas SC closed out their Choctaw Stadium era with a disappointing home draw, but, as usual, there were positives for this young club.

Let’s get into some key points from both results.

FC Dallas Ride Out 2-1 Win at Altitude

Playing away games at Colorado has to be one of the trickier tasks in Major League Soccer. I don’t remember many years when the Rapids were at the top of the league as contenders but damn if they don’t have some great home field advantage playing up near the Rockies. Certainly, the Rapids have had some good years, buoyed by that home field advantage, and as Jose mentioned on the podcast, they can be streaky. I will always hate the team for that lucky bounce that put away Dallas in the 2010 MLS Cup, so a win on their home turf is always a sweet thing.

This season, the Rapids are no different — they look like a team that have talent and could go on a roll to carry them into playoff contention.

They also look like a team that could falter and disappear into the Western Conference morass.

On Saturday night, FC Dallas found a way. More importantly, they found a way against the kind of team they should be able to beat if they want to be contenders. I’ve moaned about this team’s disappointment at home, losses and draws that don’t mark the Burn to be in contention for any hardware. To go on the road and get the needed win, even if it was scrappy, even if it relied on two penalty kicks, makes up for dropped points in a big way.

Suddenly, those home losses aren’t season-ending. Just a bump in the road.

And with so many away games looming, FC Dallas is building a really solid resume for what they can achieve.

No Musa? No Problem - I didn’t make the World Cup availability press call in time to speak with Petar Musa and his call-up to the Croatian national team. My question would have been his role for the coming weekend. Is he available but hoping to be come off the bench? Are they going to rest him completely? Maybe he answered that question to the media on the call, but regardless, I don’t think any of us thought his national team duty would have already begun. Surely, he would have been available for some role on Saturday?

It makes sense, though to let him travel early. He is in excellent form. Why risk an injury ahead of one of the biggest moments of his career?

Logan Farrington took the start and got his career high sixth goal of the season, surpassing last year’s total. The striker is in good form. He’s hardly been at his best yet for FC Dallas, kind of up and down from game to game, but to make improvement over last year’s tallies is massive. If he can get to ten goals, watch out!

Penalty Kicks for the Win? - FC Dallas are too often on the negative end of penalty kick shouts. The whistle goes against our squad. Remember back in 2023 when Steve Davis did the math and tallied the last time FCD even earned one? Those were bleak days. Last night, Dallas got the benefit on two calls, and they have been long overdue.

Yes, you could argue the second one was a bit light, but there was contact. Binyamin went down in the box after getting into a dangerous position, and it was pretty clear that the defender made contact on his back foot. Thank you for the whistle, ref.

I love a team that is improving in its positioning and knows when to go down on contact. The margins are razor thin in the Western Conference - let’s take every advantage we can.

We deserve a bit of a lucky bounce for a change.

Rotated Squad and Sirois in Goal - I mentioned on the pod this week that this wasn’t a bad game to rotate some guys, to get minutes to some players who need to get on the field. Eric Quill chose to do just that, and while the result wasn’t perfect — that defensive performance still deserves shade for its inability to form into something cohesive — it was good enough. I like how we have a mix of guys, including Patrickson Delgado, who can do some damage. The challenge is figuring out how and when to deploy them, since they can also disappear.

I love Caleb Swann, Sam Sarver, and Nicholas Simmonds all getting minutes tonight. More, please.

The other key curiosity from our conversation this week was the future of Jonathan Sirois. The French-Canadian keeper got his first start in a massive road win at San Jose. He wasn’t perfect, but he came up big in a couple of moments to garner the three points. And in short, he did the same at altitude last night.

Was it a perfect goalkeeping performance? No.

But did Sirois do enough to keep getting an opportunity? Yes.

FC Dallas will return to action with a road game at Portland, another match that will tell us a lot about this team, after the World Cup break.

North Texas Disappoint With Draw at Home to Quakes II

When the final whistle blew and the shift to the penalty kick shootout began, we knew something pretty clear about this young, growing North Texas SC team — they have two potential golden boot contenders this year. Edouard Nys and Natty James are legit. These are talented kids who can lead this team forward. That gives room for serious optimism.

Yes, they could be disappointed for a final home draw at Choctaw Stadium, closing out an era at a quirky but historic stadium, but both goals clawed the team back from a loss.

Compare that to last year when Sam Sarver essentially provided the entire offensive output, North Texas SC have every reason to stay the course. Nys and James are capable of scoring against anybody. There are talented pieces, like Diego Garcia and Ian Charles, to complement them. Yes, the goalkeeping and defending is not there yet. John Gall and company need to coach these guys up, and if they can’t, look for mid-season reinforcements.

But while a home draw is disappointing, North Texas have avoided defeat in three games after a disappointing dip. Keep building. Keep growing.

Fun note - Natty James’ rebound goal was the first goal he has scored against a team other than Sporting Kansas City.

Goalkeeping Is Still an Issue - We’ve seen three goalkeepers get minutes for North Texas SC. Eryk Dymora got another tonight, and we have anticipated the Duke product to lock down the spot at some point. He hasn’t. And maybe his defense hasn’t been as good as needed — passive is the right word — but someone needs to make the big saves for this team. Who will?

I’m not trying to be harsh - Dymora had his moments on Saturday, in particular a clutch save after the missed penalty kick by San Jose. And a super late extra time save that preserved the point.

But it seems like the back line needs consistency in every position.

Augusto Alvaro? - I like typing question marks because they saw a lot in a tiny package, and really, we have a lot of question marks about Alvaro. The senior team player had a great debut with the first team, but he either hasn’t been able to build on it or just needs more seasoning. There is no indication that his minutes with North Texas SC are a sign that FC Dallas is giving up on the young defender, but he should be a leader, a rock, for this team.

But the defensive performances need a jolt. Can he prove his quality in the matches ahead? Can he make a case for more time with the senior team? What will light a fire in the Brazilian’s performances? Can he be the leader this young side is desperate for?

I’m not stressed about the result. It was the kind of setback we have expected from a young team against a good foe. North Texas SC can take the positives as they move forward.

What did you like about both performances this weekend?

Thanks for listening and subscribing. Your support makes a difference!

Welcome back to another live edition of our show, 7 PM CST.

You can watch us on YouTube right there above and bring your comments and questions as we look back at rollercoaster weeks for our clubs.

For FC Dallas, here are the big questions:

• Midweek home loss at Vancouver was a disappointment, despite a decent performance (3-2).

• Petar Musa with another fantastic goal in a big win at San Jose, 3-2.

• Patrickson Delgado continues to have a decent season (when he clicks).

• Is this Sam Sarver’s world, and are we just lucky to live in it? Viral sensation gets some love from Modelo.

• Jonathan Sirois with first start - does he have a shot at the starting job?

• Another marquee win for the club

For North Texas, here are the things we will look at:

• Has this team turned the page with a big 5-1 win at home over SKC 2?

• Natty James with a hat trick, all of his goals coming from matches against SKC.

• Second win in a row gives us optimism.

We close out with match predictions for what lies ahead, one more game before the World Cup break.

Yes, friends, Sam Sarver gave fans the euphoric moment we needed from the weekend, especially as FC Dallas came off a disappointing home loss against Vancouver on Wednesday.

Sarver’s late goal was the kind of goal we saw him score last year at North Texas SC, getting up field and in space and letting his teammates drop him the ball.

Watch it on repeat. This team will need a lot more of those moments on the long road trips ahead.

Here is what the weekend meant for FC Dallas and North Texas Soccer Club, both squads getting big wins.

FC Dallas 3 - San Jose 2

Add another marquee win for FC Dallas on the road at league leading San Jose Earthquakes.

Yes, that midweek match against the Vancouver Whitecaps was super disappointing, enough that Michael Collodi, who has not yet lived up to the form he showed at the end of last season, got benched. Jonathan Sirois stepped into goal, and while he wasn’t perfect, his clutch penalty save kept FC Dallas in control. This goalkeeping battle was not the story we thought we were going to see this season, but the front office looks smart to get a guy like Sirois who has oodles of experience.

Don’t write off Collodi just yet - he’ll get a chance to earn a starting spot again. It’s fair to say though that something does have to change. Could this personnel adjustment be a wakeup call for the sophomore keeper?

We didn’t write up the loss to Vancouver, especially with a busy personal week for me, but it highlights the challenges this FC Dallas squad face. For once, they are capable of scoring in bunches. We’ve seen different editions of this team in the past who could defend but not get the ball into the back of the net. Musa is in amazing form. Logan Farrington remains dangerous, already hitting last season’s marks. There are attacking minded players all over the midfield. It’s fun to know this team is going to cause team fits however they line up.

Now, though, the defense remains a work in progress. Some of it is just unfortunate luck. That Beau Leroux goal to equalize in the first half was insane, a one of a kind moment. We’ve witnessed too many bangers like that, and while I think the team needs to find a way to defend those and close them out, sometimes, your opponents score big goals.

FC Dallas had bangers of their own thought, with Petar Musa making a case for his inclusion in Croatia’s World Cup squad. By the way, he did make the final cut. What a massive moment for the veteran striker.

The new wrinkle is the depth of this team. Having a guy like Sam Sarver who can come in and help you find a magical moment, something he has done three times now in four games, is just a blessing in this sport. I don’t know why some bottom dweller team isn’t sniffing around Frisco on what a trade for Sarver would look like. I don’t want to see the guy gone — he is a huge locker room presence. But would some MLS team overpay a bunch of funny money to make Sarver a building block of a rebuild?

With a bunch of road games ahead, expect FC Dallas to continue to compete well and find points. They may not all be wins, but fans should feel really bullish about this team solidifying some postseason plans before home games arrive again.

Despite that Wednesday loss, where really the team was let down by some goalkeeping and tough moments, FC Dallas is in good form. We like what Eric Quill and company are cooking. The confidence and belief in this team is growing, and if they can just sharpen some details and keep finding the right formations to deploy, this team can be a force.

“We know we can play with anybody and win every game,” Quill said after the match. “Coming on the road against a top team like San Jose and getting this result changes the psychology of the group for the better. These are the kinds of marquee wins you look back on if you reach your goals at the end of the season or make the playoffs. They give you belief, and that belief is powerful. This result should give us confidence that we can beat anybody.”

North Texas 5 - SKC II 1

Moments before FC Dallas took the field, North Texas SC welcomed Sporting Kansas City II to Choctaw Stadium. Buoyed after a big win on the road at Minnesota United, one where maybe North Texas managed a clean sheet, we circled this one just because the rollercoaster of results haven’t been great for this young side. Too often, this group of guys follow a big result by letting off the gas.

On Saturday, they didn’t, crushing Sporting Kansas City at home with five goals.

Natty James had his first professional hat trick. Hilariously, all seven of Natty’s goals this season have come against Sporting Kansas City II. Seriously, the guy needs to diversify.

Nys also got on the scoresheet again. What a solid season for the rookie.

Brooks Thompson also made his debut for North Texas, another young talent and playing against his former academy.

Head coach John Gall was very pleased with the result and the continuation of the work in Minnesota. We know this roster has talent, but we talk about it on the podcast time and time again that this squad needs to develop and grow. Some of that is just figuring out how to be a team and find consistency. Some of it is also about talented players taking the next step as professionals.

This win was important to keep them trending in the right direction with a huge July 4 opening weekend at the new stadium on the way.

“That result in Minnesota was important for us to snap a four-game winless run. We went there, put in a strong performance, and the focus this week was to build on that, which we did tonight,” Gall told media. “Overall, I’m pleased with the performance. I am a bit disappointed with the goal we conceded. It’s something we’ve talked about in terms of box defending when the ball goes wide, and we were in the wrong spots. We responded well, though, and I’m really happy for Natty to get his first NTSC hat trick. I’m also pleased for Brooks Thompson on his debut, and for young Liam at the back, making his first start and doing very well. Overall, it’s a positive night, another step forward in our process as we continue to move ahead.”

We’ll be going live on Tuesday evening to break down all the results and get a glimpse of what lies ahead for both squads.

Nathan, Jose, and Chris look at FC Dallas’ home win over Real Salt Lake, the first marquee win of the year for the club, and we get excited about North Texas SC’ surprise victory on the road at Minnesota.

Are we feeling optimistic? Yes.

Are there still questions about both squads? Yes!

We even touch a little on salary numbers that have been released.

We close out the show with match predictions.

As usual, we keep tweaking and making adjustments to the audio, so keep looking for some improvements in the weeks to come!

When the lights go down, we go live.

And what a show we have to talk about, as FC Dallas and North Texas Soccer Club both rebounded after some disappointing recent weeks with big time victories.

For FC Dallas, with their home win over Real Salt Lake, did they get the big victory that has eluded them? Can they build on this performance and do more?

For North Texas SC, their win on the road was excellent, a strong performance all around. Can they take the next step as a team?

We have a lot to get into, including match predictions and salary figures for our guys.

See you at 7 PM CST!

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What a weekend for FC Dallas and North Texas Soccer Club!

Just when both teams needed to answer some questions, they each found a way.

Here are our highlights and threads to follow from these fun matches.

FC Dallas 3 - Real Salt Lake 1

Home form for FC Dallas has been a vexing issue in 2026, just as it was in 2025. Dallas has either struggled to generate the kind of offense needed to break through some very good teams or dropped points despite solid enough performances. After another away win, the Burn knew they needed to shift the narrative in Frisco.

On Saturday night, behind goals from Santiago Moreno, Kaick, and Sam Sarver, the narrative did shift.

FC Dallas got the big win at home over a MLS Western Conference opponent that they needed.

What a nice statement it was!

I’ll say it plainly: FC Dallas have not beaten anyone of note so far in 2026. Yes, FC Dallas has had some solid wins. They are playing really well overall. Though it has taken some time and formation adjustments to find the right mix of personnel, the defense and offense are in good shape. Facing quality opponents though, they have dropped points all over the place. That Nashville draw early in the season particularly hits, as it was a chance to hang their hats on a marquee win against a Sam Surridge-less team. Whether it was bad luck or a lack of quality, I don’t think anyone would suggest this team was actually flirting with hardware.

On Saturday night, Dallas did show the ability to get it done, even if it wasn’t always pretty. Real Salt Lake are an excellent offensive team led by Diego Luna. Expect them in the playoffs.

But this is a game that FC Dallas should win.

For the first half, Dallas came out with the right intensity, the right grit, the right lethality in the run of play to have fans feeling confident. Really, Shaq Moore, Osaze Urhoghide, and Nolan Norris, supporting Michael Collodi in goal, played a complete half. Real Salt Lake had a lot of possession, but every time they looked to create something dangerous, Dallas’ defense held strong.

In the second half, we witnessed an FC Dallas team that was content to hold on for the win. Maybe a little passive? A little disconnected? Did they take their foot of the gas just a bit? Real Salt Lake had nothing to lose, so as the game wore on and the possession stats sky-rocketed, the visitors kept probing for a way back into the match.

Eventually it came, as a scintillating run by Shaq Moore led to a catastrophic turnover. RSL sprang on the break. Diego Luna, with Dallas on their heels, took the space he needed to lace a great goal to get his side back in the mix.

I told my son, watching the game with me, that I could sense an equalizer on the way for Real Salt Lake. It’s not that I wanted that to happen, but we have seen it happen way too often this season. Substitutes came on with a little less intensity. The quality on the ball lacked. Dallas could not possess and relieve the pressure, not that they may have wanted.

And then, well, Sam Sarver did Sam Sarver things. Receiving the ball on the counter as RSL pushed for an equalizer on a corner kick, Sarver did what he did last year for North Texas SC time and time again, using his speed and skill to outpace the defenders and slot the ball into the back of the net. The joyous Sarver, with his second goal in as many games, whipped off his jersey and climbed into the crowd, arms aloft.

Was a new tradition just born?

The win was a delight for the crowd and a huge lift to this team who has struggled to finish things out. They did tonight. They can keep working on correcting the mistakes, but they silenced that little voice of doubt for a moment… at least until the Vancouver Whitecaps roll into town on Wednesday night.

“My thoughts on the game were that we started really bright. We were on the front foot, organized behind the ball and scored two great goals. We knew in the second half they were going to push numbers forward and become aggressive trying to find a goal, which they eventually did late. Sam’s goal to restore the two-goal lead was outstanding. It was an incredible individual play and showed the qualities he has. He’s incredibly fast, and to bring that ball down and go coast to coast the way he did was special,” head coach Eric Quill said after the match. “Overall, I thought we were excellent defensively. The guys were blocking shots and working together collectively. We really didn’t give up much. Salt Lake has a dynamic attack and they’re very well coached, so if you’re not compact and working together, they can score a lot of goals. I thought our guys did a beautiful job with the details defensively and staying compact throughout the match. And obviously, getting three points in front of our fans was huge for us with a massive week ahead.”

What threads will we be watching in the coming weeks?

If you want to be concerned, FC Dallas has got to find a way to hold the ball and kill the game. It may not be the way Quill wants the squad to play, but there has to be an alternative to defending for their lives. It just invites disaster to allow teams to work themselves into dangerous situations over and over again, even as confident as we are about this defense.

Sam Sarver too remains a delight and has quickly played himself into contention to be a force on this team. I want to see him more — I want to see him get a start again soon, just to enjoy the unpredictability that he brings. His best role is off the bench, but why not let him grow in the limelight?

Santi Moreno got his first FC Dallas goal of the season, and it was a splendid goal at that. A commenter in the super secret FCD chat asked, “When was the last time this team scored from outside the 18?” I am excited to see his confidence grow along with his fitness.

Kaick got a goal after being unfairly denied a couple of weeks back, and we say congrats on the baby! With rumors that Chelsea and Real Betis are scouting the young midfielder, what a moment for him to shine. Will this increase interest?

North Texas SC 2 - Minnesota United FC 0

Yes, we’ve been disappointed by the young North Texas SC, a heavily transformed roster but one with talent. Edouard Nys and Natty James can score. There are midfield and defensive pieces that bring quality. So far in 2026, though, there hasn’t been enough cohesion or quality.

After four winless, North Texas SC faced steep odds traveling into Minnesota and facing a good side. Back on the podcast, we did not hold a lot of hope. I believe in this young team, so a draw was possible if they correct mistakes and keep improving. Most of our crew thought a loss was on the cards.

But, well, North Texas SC proved us wrong with a confident, feisty performance and goals from Enzo Newman and Ricky Louis. That it took two first team guys to help this young side turn things around should be no surprise - NTSC needs quality. They need some guys who are a little older and a little more seasoned.

On Saturday, Louis and Newman, in particular, helped.

A first MLS Next Pro shutout from Nico Montoya also helped, as goalkeeping has been a big part of North Texas’ issues as of late.

The away win gets North Texas SC back on track with an opportunity to build something special.

“I’m really pleased with our effort tonight. We have gone through a little bit of a patch of not getting results, and we spent a lot of time this week in training trying to tweak things a little bit and we made it difficult for Minnesota. We knew that we were going to create some chances with the way that we inverted our fullbacks,” head coach John Gall said after the game. “Enzo's goal came a little bit from that inverted from the right hand side, and a ball in the box, and he got on the end of it. I am really happy with the performance of the team today against a really good Minnesota team to come here and get a shutout.”

What will I continue to watch for?

North Texas SC needs help — they need quality from the first team. Caleb Swann, Ricky Louis, Nicholas Simmonds, and others can provide that help and need some fitness too. Let’s keep that flow of players going while North Texas SC’s young guys gain confidence.

What did you like about the two performances this weekend?

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On the show, Nathan, Colin, Jose, and Chris get to talking about FC Dallas’ away win against the New York Red Bulls. The 2-0 victory was cathartic, a sigh of relief for a club that had been struggling. Is this team out of the woods? Of course, not. But there are enough positive signs that we are hopeful.

Among those positive signs? Strong play from Ran Binyamin, a resurgent defense, and Musa doing Musa things.

Also, Sam Sarver got his first MLS goal. What a moment.

North Texas did not fair so well, and we get into it a bit. Chris offers insight - that this team is still figuring things out, still lacking some quality, still needing to get its identity.

We close out the show with match predictions. Are we expecting wins at home against a very good Real Salt Lake side?

Tune in and find out.

Thanks for all of your support so far this season.

When the lights go down, we go live.

Pull up a chair, your phone screen, your tablet or other digital media device, and go live with us tonight at 7 PM CST.

We will talk:

• FC Dallas’ big road victory, snapping a four game winless streak, at the Red Bulls. The 2-0 victory was most impressive just because it was confident. Dallas never looked out of control.

• Petar Musa got his tenth on the year, and Sam Sarver got his first MLS goal. Aren’t we proud?

• How about that defense?

• North Texas SC meanwhile dropped home points again with a tough loss to Austin FC II. This is not where the team hoped to be.

We take your comments and questions over on YouTube. See you soon!

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Going into the Saturday evening match against the New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey, FC Dallas supporters and part-time journalists like myself were nervous. Our favorite MLS squad was mired in a four-game winless streak, disappointing home form, and vibes that had gone from exhilarating to downright dismal. The most recent home loss, a 1-0 deflation against Minnesota United, especially after the team talked up the importance of the result and a focus to get things right, had us wondering if the early season vibes were just a mirage.

Against Seattle, FC Dallas chose to rest a few starters, giving guys with heavy legs and nagging injuries a chance to recuperate. Over a long season, a solid coaching staff finds ways to rotate and lighten the load. Coming off of a home loss, though, the lineup resembled a white flag more than anything else. Was this a team without ideas?

To their credit, FC Dallas played respectably with that rotated side against a good Seattle Sounders team. Nolan Norris got his first MLS goal and continues to make a case that the homegrown should have been starting last year. Sam Sarver had a solid runout. We even got to see Ran Binyamin for an extended period, which no doubt set the stage for his start on Saturday.

With a long week to rest and get Petar Musa ready to go, Eric Quill also took the next logical step, switching up the formation to try to get the best players together on the field. While it didn’t look vastly different, during possession, players shifted into more of a 4-4-2 with Nolan pushing up as more of a left back. Against a young Red Bulls side that has started the year decently, led by new head coach Michael Bradley, the switch paid dividends. Despite a fairly cagey first half, FC Dallas came out of the break with more confidence and claimed the two goals, including Petar Musa’s tenth of the year.

“It was a collective effort behind the ball. We always say that when we’re organized and press out of our structure, we can win the ball in good areas and get back behind it,” Quill told media after the match. “The commitment to the game plan and the discipline to keep shifting were key. This is a great side that can move the ball and play through lines, so the awareness at the back post was important. Late in the game, I loved our block defending to close it out. It’s a collective game, and they deserved the result based on how they played.”

The biggest highlight of the night, though, had to be our boy, Sam Sarver, getting his first Major League Soccer goal, just a few months shy of winning the MLS Next Pro Golden Boot.

The goals were great and deserved, but what was most impressive about the victory was FC Dallas playing another complete game. Defensively, this performance was the best of the season so far for FC Dallas. Michael Collodi took care of business in goal. Osaze Urhoghide will live in the Red Bulls’ nightmares. Nolan Norris and Shaq Moore were splendid. The defense hardly put a foot wrong, and time and time again, ushered and or stonewalled attacks from the home side.

When Quill opted for Ibeagha as a defensive sub, yeah, I felt nervous, but I didn’t have to. The defense stayed focused in a way that we haven’t seen enough this season.

Yes, fans breathed a sigh of relief with the 2-0 win, and with Quill’s refocus on the next four games before the World Cup break (something the announcers repeated multiple times), Dallas will look to return to its steady climb up the standings.

Threads to Follow

Rin Binyamin didn’t exactly look like an inspiring signing when he was announced, but like Valiente, he’s shown some quality with his work rate. He is a solid piece for this team, and if he can build off his assist on Saturday, he may make the crowded midfield more competitive.

Nolan Norris, Osaze Urhoghide, and Shaq Moore have the potential to be the lockdown defenders this team needs for the next couple of years.

Sam Sarver is going to only increase in value if he can find his niche in Major League Soccer as an energy sub, spot starter, and guy who can help you find an extra goal.

There are no downsides to a win, but the Western Conference remains the better and more murderous side of Major League Soccer. Getting some solid wins over Eastern Conference teams is a nice boost to the confidence, but FC Dallas needs to figure out how to grind out some results against Western Conference foes in the coming weeks.

Next Show

Last week was a light week for us on the site, but we should be back live with working video and audio after some technical issues. Thank you for your patience. Look for our next podcast soon.

The downside of that was the space to spew in frustration about a team that, for a stretch to start this season, has dallied with the potential to be a contender in Major League Soccer, but with these two results, preceded by disappointing home draws, has exited such talk and drawn far closer to reality. FC Dallas now looks not far from their best in 2025 - a squad with talent that can make a run with a combination of hard work, grit, and individual brilliance. Is this a team that is outright scaring anyone? No. Is this a team that deserves respect? Sure. Is this a team that has lots of work to do? Absolutely.

Let’s rewind the week a bit.

FC Dallas 0 - Minnesota United FC 1

After two disappointing home draws, FC Dallas faced their midweek home match knowing they needed points, all three points, to reverse some of the mistakes and bad luck they had been experiencing. Ahead of the match, Eric Quill and the players verbally said all of the right things. It seemed like their mentality was on the same page, but when the whistle blew, fans’ expectation turned to frustration.

It’s not that FC Dallas didn’t generate opportunities - they had 16 shots on the night, 7 of which were blocked by shot stopper Drake Callendar. They had enough possession to make things interesting. Ultimately, though, even in the final third, both Petar Musa and Logan Farrington struggled - alongside their attacking counterparts. Once Minnesota stretched FC Dallas’ defense and got their goal, their game plan was simple - frustrate the home side. And that they did.

Yes, this game was another example of the VAR crew getting it wrong, as a clear red card was not given early in the match, which would have made life much better for FC Dallas. Still, Quill and company can’t leave it to referees to get it right to grind out results, especially ones as big as this.

“We didn’t have our typical out-of-the-gates mentality or energy. We weren’t pressing from our organized shape and sat off too much, which allowed them to dictate the tempo in the first half. They got the goal they needed, so credit to them. They also blocked a lot of shots. I thought we were sloppy,” Quill told media after the game. “Usually we’re cleaner with our passing, sharper in tight spaces and quicker to switch the point of attack, but that wasn’t who we were tonight. I told the group in the locker room that you can’t give a team 45 minutes at home when you’re not yourself and not playing to the DNA we’ve shown all season. We have to be better and fix that. It was another missed opportunity at home.”

I made a point to say last Tuesday on the podcast — these lost home points significantly lower the ceiling of this team. Yes, we flirted with the idea that this team could be top five in the Western Conference, but I think that dream died this past two weeks. The rest of the season has room for improvement, so maybe this team will make me eat my words if they can find their form again.

Seattle 2 - FC Dallas 1

Whether it’s an attempt to inject life into the squad or just rest some weary legs, FC Dallas deployed a heavily rotated squad in the Pacific Northwest. I don’t mind it. With the team struggling mentally, some veterans need a break. It’s a long season, and with some promising pieces on the roster, how do you know what you have if you don’t find opportunities for them to grow in confidence?

Sam Sarver got his first start of the season, alongside rookie Nicholas Simmonds and new signing Ran Binyamin. Lalas Abubakar also cracked the starting lineup.

The Sounders quickly took control of the game through the first half with goals from Jesus Ferreira and Jordan Morris. While FC Dallas looked feisty, the two goals had fans back in Frisco pretty nervous. That was somewhat short-lived, as Nolan Norris got his first Major League Soccer goal of his career off of a corner. The homegrown player is living up to the hype and has potential to supplant Osaze Urhoghide as the best defender on the roster.

It was a big moment for him and got FC Dallas back into the game.

In fact, over the rest of the game, despite questionable subs, this rotated squad competed well and had opportunities to equalize. Michael Collodi continues to be let down by his defense but came up big to stop Jesus Ferreira on a penalty kick. There were definite positives from the performance, giving Quill some confidence to keep rotating when other veteran players are not living up to their potential.

“Obviously disappointed about the result, but I thought we played pretty well, and I think we're going to regret seeing the couple moments that led to their goals. Those moments are fixable,” Eric Quill told media after the match. “I was proud of our mentality, our resiliency. We were going for it, we never gave up. We didn't quit. We were pushing hard and came up short tonight.”

Big Picture

These two matches don’t have me panicking, but they have poked holes in my optimism for this squad and this season. One looming question for Quill is how to build the best starting XI out of this roster. Does that mean a formation shift is due? Does that mean benching some potential World Cup hopefuls over younger guys? Does that mean dropping someone with nice skill over a player who will bring the right mentality?

Nolan Norris is the story of the season, and it’s really frustrating when Quill chooses a veteran over the homegrown who has far more value and far more upside than any other defender on the roster. Yes, Petar Musa has been exhilarating in his early-season form, but with these recent results, I don’t think there is a sliver of hope that he stays past the World Cup (except if he stops scoring altogether). I’m always rooting for a guy like Sam Sarver to punch above his weight too, and while he had some excellent moments on Saturday, the wingback positions as a whole are anyone’s guess.

The team is going to have a slower week as they travel to New Jersey to face the Red Bulls in an important matchup on Saturday.

Minnesota United FC 1 - North Texas SC 0

Swinging back to the Baby Burn, North Texas Soccer Club traveled to Minnesota on Sunday and faced a good team in the Upper Midwest. MUFC 2 are very solid defensively, and they showed it as they welcomed a North Texas side that is growing in its ability to break down opponents and create highlight reel goals. The most important takeaway for me was how hard-fought this match was, and it wasn't until the 74th minute that Minnesota United broke through.

Really, North Texas held together defensively against a stout team that generated 23 shots against the visitors. Eryk Dymora continues to grow in his leadership, and the back line played one of its better games of the season despite giving up a goal and Jonah Bigger earning a late red card. The team nearly crawled back into a tie as Slade Starnes, playing high up the field, earned a penalty kick. Unfortunately, Natty James’ effort was saved.

A disappointing night for North Texas SC, but one that also shows this team is figuring it out bit by bit.

"Immediate thoughts, obviously disappointed for the group because we put a lot of work in today. We knew that we would come here and have a difficult time against a good Minnesota team. They've got some really good footballers,” head coach John Gall told media. “In the first half, I didn't think we were very responsible with the ball. In the second half, I thought we adjusted well. I also didn't feel in the second half that we were under too much pressure. I thought defensively we were fantastic. I thought Slade Starnes was a monster today, and I thought Enzo Newman did really well.”

North Texas SC will be back in action on Saturday evening at home against Austin FC II.

We are putting plans together on our next live podcast this week, so stay tuned for a date and time to go live with us.

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In this episode, we get into some match reactions from FC Dallas’ home draw against the Galaxy. Yes, there were things we liked, but it was definitely disappointing. Two referee decisions in particular soured us. What did the refs see? Why did they not at least go to the monitor to double-check?

So far, none of us were convinced by the limited official explanations. At least one of those goals should have counted.

North Texas SC went on the road and grabbed two points. Edu Nys continues to dazzle with heroics and skill. This was a good result for this young side, who are learning as they go but finding ways to stay in the hunt.

I don’t like to ask for funds, but if you enjoy the podcast, know that donating a few bucks a month helps offset software subscription costs and enables us to create more fun content down the line.

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Hey there, we are going live tonight, adjusting our schedule a bit due to some slight vocational issues.

Tonight’s show is going to be fun, as we break down FC Dallas drawing Galaxy at home and North Texas SC going on the road to get two massive points against the Timbers.

For FC Dallas, we can ask once again what might have been. Did FC Dallas get hosed by the referees? Why didn’t they go to VAR on both denied goals? Or is this a game where the home side needs to be better?

Get ready for a MrCoov rant.

For North Texas SC, they come from behind to grab some precious away points that have them in 4th place at the moment. Edouard Nys continues to dazzle. The penalty kick shootout was especially confident as this young team grows.

Bring your comments, questions, and hot takes.

We’ll close out with some predictions.

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I always like to remind North Texas Soccer Club fans of the big picture — road points are always a good thing.

On Sunday afternoon in the Pacific Northwest, North Texas SC grabbed some big ones, taking on a defensively sound Portland Timbers 2 team that also gave minutes to some senior roster guys. Those are never a good combination of factors: being on the road, facing a mature opponent, and having to break down a tough defensive unit. But North Texas got the job done, with the Baby Burn finding that extra gear late to steal two points.

After taking the lead from an own goal, scored after Edouard Nys led Diego Garcia in on the left side, North Texas SC were confident of getting points. Sure, a harsh penalty kick was called minutes later, one that the refs should have looked at again, but Eryk Dymora, growing in leadership in recent weeks, got his hand to it to push it away from the goal. It was a huge moment, a boost to this team.

Of course, despite a flurry of incredible opportunities, including shots from Marlon Luccin and Natty James, the lead would remain 1-0 until the Timbers 2 mounted a furious second-half comeback. Their first came via a brain-fart kind of moment as the back line lost track of a Timbers striker, who received the ball and coolly equalized. A second penalty kick was given on a poor challenge by North Texas, and this time, Dymora couldn’t find a hand to it.

Suddenly, what was a 1-0 victory was shaping up to be a disappointing defeat — until Edouard Nys decided otherwise.

The phenom received the ball at the top of the box, made a slashing run, and found the skill to lash a ball with the outside of his left foot. The massive goal put Nys back into the golden boot race and grabbed a full point on the road for the young team.

North Texas SC would go on to win the penalty kick shootout, making five of five shots. Dymora would deny the Timbers on their first attempt, capping a strong performance from the goalkeeper.

There are so many fun threads to follow out of this match.

Of course, as I started, road points are always good and make up for dropped points at home, especially last weekend’s disappointment against Sporting Kansas City 2.

Edouard Nys is a real star in MLS Next Pro, and the league would be wise to match his play by promoting his story about choosing this pathway to potential first-team minutes. With FC Dallas looking more and more for attacking midfielders to complement their attacking prowess, Nys has a clear avenue to rise up the ladder and contribute at the next level if he keeps this up and improves. One note - after Nys scored the late equalizer, he was the first rushing toward the goal to grab the ball and look for another. What a spirit.

The most interesting nugget after the match was head coach John Gall acknowledging that his young side is generally facing opponents throughout this campaign that are bigger and stronger. Yes, North Texas has guys like Slade Starnes and Jonah Biggar, but the rest of the team tends to be on the smaller side. That adds extra complications, challenging them to be cleaner and more precise with their passing and control.

One mantra repeated by the coaching staff and players is about being comfortable with the uncomfortable.

“We knew that coming here in Portland was going to be a challenge. It was a really strong team. They had some first-team guys playing with them today. We knew it was going to be a challenge. We were really happy with the first half - the goal with some attacking energy and mentality,” Gall told Afterburn. “We knew Portland were the kind of team to put a lot of defenders on the back line. I kind of felt like we had enough in the first half to get a second goal. Obviously, you go in at halftime, talked about a few things to clean up. All of a sudden, we allowed their No. 9 to get free inside the box. They equalized, and it changed the game. One of the things we harped on this week was enjoying uncomfortable moments. So happy for Edu to get that goal near the end.”

Dymora concurred. “Like John said, being comfortable being uncomfortable. I feel like that was the game today. Lots of moments when we were on the back foot. I think we came up big. To get two points away from home, I think, is big.”

While we all wish North Texas SC could just be dominant and run away with things, this is a team still on the rise. They sit in 4th place, buoyed by two PK shootout wins. Yes, the remaining schedule is going to be tough, and they’ve missed Nicholas Simmonds, who made his first-team debut last weekend. Give yourself continued reason to be excited about how they compete and find a way to get results with a much more balanced attack this year.

On Saturday night, FC Dallas and their fans were treated to another treat, in a sense.

For 90+ minutes, two solid soccer teams went toe to toe, generating gobs of chances, exhibiting fesity physical football, and pushing hard until the final whistle.

The frustration, however, belongs to FC Dallas, settling for a home draw for the second straight week despite holding a commanding 2-0 lead in the first half. Petar Musa did Musa things, grabbing sole control of the Major League Soccer golden boot race. His first was the kind of mistake all too many defenders have made by going half-speed against the Croatian international. You simply can’t do that if you want to limit his damage.

If the game could have been frozen there, FC Dallas would have been far happier, getting a big home win against a Los Angeles Galaxy team that hasn’t looked like a contender.

And then, well, the Galaxy took advantage of mistakes of their own and quality that still exists on their roster, especially in the form of Joseph Paintsil. His second goal, tying the game, was just class, but it also reflected an FC Dallas defense that keeps making crucial mistakes at the wrong time.

2-2.

Now, with each home draw, we can begin to wonder whether FC Dallas is a contender. Simply put, good teams win their home games. Sure, good teams can drop the occasional draw because they face an opponent who is on the upswing or experience the randomness of the bounce. For FC Dallas, while maintaining an unbeaten home record is decent, this is the fourth home draw of the season. As points on the road get more difficult to come by, those dropped points will end up weighing heavily on final positioning later in the year.

First, though, let’s acknowledge that the referees bear a heavy load for the disappointment on Saturday night. FC Dallas had two goals called back, both of which appeared obvious scores on replay. However, the VAR team did not ask the referee to take a second look. Yes, you can argue there are some extenuating circumstances for each - FC Dallas players were potentially in “compromising” or “interfering” positions on the plays. While you are welcome to make that argument, the replays aren’t conclusive that it was true in either circumstance.

On the first goal, Farrington was clearly offside, but he had stopped and was not participating in the play. Musa, meanwhile, was clearly onside as he received the ball and slotted it home.

On the second, yes, Ibeagha went to ground in the box, but the blast from Kaick didn’t even touch Urhoghide, instead ricocheting off a Galaxy defender. I’m not sure how Ibeagha interfered.

Even if true, the referee should have looked at both replays. Take the time and get it right. Use the tools at your disposal. Show fans you want to be transparent about the reasoning.

I am not one to criticize referees. Yes, they get calls right and wrong. It’s going to happen. I’ve said it before, as silly as it may sound, that if you are going to criticize referees publicly, you also need to publicly thank them for good performances. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a coach praise an officiating crew after a match in a press conference, but it would be pretty cool to start doing so, which might improve the conversation about officiating.

But regardless - the referees got this one wrong.

Just go to VAR. Why not?

Do I place the entire blame on officiating for this draw? No. FC Dallas had plenty of opportunities to find a go-ahead goal in the second half. They didn’t take their chances.

That leads me to our larger frustration with this team.

FC Dallas may have one of the most talented squads in their team history. Petar Musa is simply on another level, and if he can stay with the team until winter, which I hope he does, he could play himself into MVP conversations. Valiente is an exciting midfielder who is living up to his billing. Osaze Urhoghide delights fans with his attitude and personality.

But right now, these uneven performances are wasting this moment. I don’t know if Quill is overthinking lineups or finding it difficult to balance personalities and expectations. I don’t know if he sees something else during the week than what fans see on Saturdays, but there are players on the squad who aren’t putting in performances worthy of their positions and minutes. They need a fire lit… and soon.

Both goals came against veteran defenders who need to be better. Shaq Moore was too slow to react to Gabriel Pec finding space and getting the Galaxy back into it. Osaze and Deedson let their team down on the second. These are all guys with significant minutes under their belt. If they want to be a defense that can compete against top-tier talent, they need to be better.

Deedson, despite scoring a goal in the previous week, has not been a revelation at left wing-back. He is a question mark on this team.

Everyone knows Shaq Moore has oodles of experience, but my hunch is that Quill feels pressured to start Moore since he is also the team captain, even if his form hasn’t been necessarily great or if he even fits in the lineup.

I’m not sold on Herman Johansson. He’s not a bad player, but he is not the difference maker we had hoped.

Nolan Norris, meanwhile, was benched for this match, despite being one of the better in-form defenders right now.

While the attack has been more than good enough, the defense has not been up to par, and it’s not simply going to be about being “dogs” out there. Quill needs to find the group of starters who will get the job done, even if it means making formation tweaks to unlock their best skills, benching leaders, or giving young players time to grow into the positions they are needed in.

I’m not going to belabor this point, but last week, the team missed Valiente to start the match. It’s one of those head-scratching moments when either Quill is overthinking or underthinking things. Especially if our defense is going to be a bit porous, why not choose offense every time?

No, I’m not hitting the panic button on this team. They are going to be in the post-season hunt, and there are plenty of points to be had down the stretch. We have every reason to enjoy every game to come and expect good things. They can get a lot better too, especially as a guy like Santi Moreno gets fit and ready to contribute more.

But fans are right to feel the frustration and hope after another home draw, especially when for the first time in a few years, this team looks to be damn good.

We start the show by looking at FC Dallas’ draw versus St Louis. Was this just a poor start for FC Dallas, a blip in concentration in that first 45? Or did St Louis just outplay and out-coach our home side? Quill said after the match that he didn’t recognize his squad. We hear his audio but spend time doing our best to frame this tough result and look at the positives.

For North Texas SC, maybe they got punished for being a little over-confident after crushing Sporting Kansas City 2 the weekend before. Regardless, a late goal stunned them, but for a young team, there are lessons to be learned. We are still high on this talented team as they try to put it all together.

As usual, the show closes with match predictions.

Thanks for all of your support, and yes, shout out to all of our supporters and our amazing crew.

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FC Dallas was supposed to beat St Lous City SC, but that first half? Eric Quill said he did not recognize this team.

Deedson’s first goal and the squad’s leader was short-lived as St Louis stunned the home side with an equalizer.

Is this our first warning sign? What went well, and what went wrong?

North Texas SC expected to trounce the visiting Sporting Kansas City 2 team but gave up a late equalizer, exposing the youth of this team.

Credit where credit is due - they won the penalty kick shootout quite confidently.

Still, Gall was frustrated but chalked this up to a learning moment for this team. Natty James, meanwhile, is hat, with 4 goals in two matches.

See you at 8 PM CST. Send in your comments and questions.