FC Dallas Are Back With Road Victory Over the Red Bulls
Breaking a four game winless streak, FC Dallas confidently and professionally claimed all three points on the road, a shutout, and a sigh of relief from fans.
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.