North Texas Notes: Home Victory, Cano Makes Statement about Allen, TX Shooting

It's Monday morning, so here are a few notes about a busy weekend for Dallas and NTSC, as well as a powerful statement from NTSC Head Coach Cano on the mass shooting in Allen, TX.

While FC Dallas had to abandon its home match due to lightning, North Texas SC completed their busy weekend with a home demolition of St Louis City 2.

You can watch the livestream via Youtube.

While initially going down a goal, a red card for St Louis City FC 2 proved their undoing, as North Texas slotted in four consecutive goals in the second half. Tyshawn Rose had a massive performance with 3 assists. Jose Mulato had his first brace of the season, a huge confidence boost especially with Open Cup minutes looming.

Cano spoke after the game to reporters, acknowledging the team’s second half effort.

“I need to congratulate the team on the second half. The first half we were very sloppy, very slow and predictable. When you play a team that’s very structured and knows how to press, and you play predictable it’s difficult and that’s how they got their goal,” the coach said. “At halftime, the message was to change the pace and structure. We know we needed to sub players because of the first team schedule, we have the privilege to have those players but also, we’re also privileged to have these young players coming from the bench and they helped to turn the game.”

No doubt, some of the substitution patterns will shade decisions to be made this week with FC Dallas entering US Open Cup play. But with FC Dallas getting rained out in its home match, the senior team should be mostly fresh for the week’s action against Nashville.

We will definitely talk about the Open Cup match tonight at 8 PM CST on Afterburn Soccer Show.

In bigger news, Allen, TX was the latest target of a mass shooting. According to most recent reporters, eight people were killed, including the gunman armed with a long rifle, firing indiscriminately at the outdoor mall. North Texas SC players wore black bands as a sign of support to families and a community suffering.

Last night, North Texas SC Head Coach Javier Cano also made a statement on Twitter, ending with a plea for President Biden to act. In the statement, he acknowledges that he and his family were just feet away from where the horrific attack unfolded and could have been victims too if they had made the wrong choice that day. He joins the growing swell of Americans, a majority of voices, demanding an alternative culture where “our kids deserve to grow without this fears to be killed while going shopping”.