FC Dallas Can't Capitalize Against Austin FC

Despite Eugene Ansah providing a miracle lift, FC Dallas faded to a dismal defeat. There isn't much lower for this team to go.

On a Saturday night in Austin, FC Dallas looked toothless.

Dropping their third straight loss, for fans and onlookers, the team formerly known as the Burn is anything but scorching. Tepid. Lukewarm. Boring? All of the above.

Eugene Ansah provided a spark, delivering a fortuitous goal that could have at least served as a point on the road, something you can take home with you in a season marked by injuries and setbacks. But when your defense can’t do its job, that goal wasn’t enough. Austin FC came back easily at home to claim three points and salvage a dismal start of their own.

“At the end, we had four shots on target and they had four but they scored two goals,” FC Dallas head coach Nico Estevez said after the match. “One of the issues we’re having is that we’re conceding goals from situations that we should control. That goal from the throw-in is something that can’t happen. We’re working really hard every week but sometimes when you’re in a bad situation it’s hard to turn things around.”

Beneath Nico’s comments is a huge question mark. It’s not the query that fans expected after a tough 2023 campaign when you brought in a club record signing to bolster the attack. Sure, injuries are a big part of the equation. Missing Jesus Ferreira is alone enough to give you pause. But you have to find a way to a result if you want to be a team of note in this league.

Under Nico, the team hasn’t even found a hint of that.

The questions loom larger than the head coach though.

"It’s disappointing. You get the goal you've been kind of defending your life for and then, I'm not sure how long it lasted, but you just can't let a lead slip like that. It's on all of us. I thought as the group, it wasn't pretty but we at least got the lead and it only lasted a couple of minutes,” Sebastian Lletget said to media. “So, yes, it's very disappointing. Now we’re seeing St. Louis away which is a tough game but it's only up from here."

The good news is that there is plenty of way to go in this league. If the squad can get healthy and turn a positive result or two, they can put this bad start behind them. But, there remain questions about tactics, personnel, and coaching.

Maybe FC Dallas is considering making a change in head coach - in a game or two - if the results turn around.

Or maybe it will take time to integrate new pieces.

Or maybe, with Paxton Pomykal being out for the season, there is a new addition that could provide some reinforcement.

For now, fans… and coaches… are left asking questions.

That’s not where we wanted to be.