A Good Weekend: FC Dallas and North Texas SC Find Crucial Wins
A late Sam Sarver goal once again sealed FC Dallas’ home victory over Real Salt Lake, while North Texas snapped a bad run of form with a huge 2-0 win at Minnesota.
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?