FC Dallas’ Loss to SKC Is a Microcosm of the Season

Dallas went down 2-0 then clawed their way back into it with a fierce second half… until the wheels fell off.

In the first of two clashes with Sporting Kansas City in the Cauldron, FC Dallas’ performance in a lot of ways exemplified the kind of season the squad from Frisco are having.

On one hand, this team has the talent to compete, even when that means turning to young players like Tomas Pondeca, Nolan Norris (who displayed an excellent passing savvy), Bernard Kamungo, and Tsiki Ntsabeleng. After the match, head coach Peter Luccin acknowledged the way this game mirrored the collapse in Seattle, except in reverse. Here, FC Dallas put themselves into an early hole and found a way back in behind goals from Bernard Kamungo (although credited as an own goal) and Petar Musa.

The performance, while uneven, was decent enough to be in a shout for at least a point on the road.

On the other hand, FC Dallas is where they deserve to be in the standings. Former head coach Nico Estevez talked often about moments when the team would get things wrong, and truly, there were too many of those in the first half and then another in the second half. The defense, despite veterans like Sam Junqua, Omar Gonzalez, Ema Twumasi, and Nkosi Tafari holding down the back line, disappeared enough in the first half to make life easy for Sporting Kansas City.

“With all the rotations that we did, I think we started well in the first 15 minutes,” Luccin said after the match. “Then after that, we changed a bit in terms of our energy, our press was different, and we became passive. So that’s why they started having the ball scored those goals. In the first half, there was a lack of consistency in our press without the ball. With the ball we started good and then became a little slow, taking too many touches. In the second half, we were good, we created so many chances but we’re still conceding too many goals. We could have won that game but at least we should have tied that game, so that’s why I’m not so happy about the result. There were good things about the game, we created good sequences and played good football but that’s not enough. We need more for Wednesday.”

Sebastian Lletget in particular is in incredible form, and he provided an instant spark in the second half.

Bernard Kamungo, experiencing a bit of a sophomore slump, deserves more minutes, because he often can create dangerous opportunities that few other players can. But with that, you have to expect the lack of consistency until he grows further into this level of play.

That’s why I appreciated Luccin’s comments. He was reflective, disappointed, but also confident that the team can improve.

We won’t have to wait long to see what unfolds, as FC Dallas faces Sporting Kansas City again to advance deeper into the Open Cup. Peter Vermes appeared to start more key players, so we’ll see how much rotation they utilize. FC Dallas should have a healthier legs, but the team has played a ton of games in a short amount of time. It’s going to be a tough one, but if anything, a result is possible.