Thoughts on a Season Saving Win for FC Dallas against the Timbers
A sorely needed win at home preceded exhilarating fireworks - can this win kickstart a surge for FC Dallas as the season looms in its final stretch?
The 4th of July match has always been a nice tradition for FC Dallas, and it comes with a pretty solid home field advantage due to the typical heat of summer and a generous crowd, anticipating fireworks on the field and overhead.
The Portland Timbers arrived in Frisco on an unbeaten run for like eight games, so no doubt, the home side, reeling from a disappointing loss to Cincy a few days before, were a little on edge. The way the season had gone so far, you couldn’t expect a win by default. Dallas’ road form has been awful, but home form has been sketchy too.
With the jam-packed schedule sending plenty of guys to the injury list (Jesus Ferreira still being out, joined by Liam Fraser and Patrickson Delgado), new head coach Peter Luccin would turn to some young players for a spark.
And hey, it worked.
Tomas Pondeca earned his first MLS start, and the youngster, who we interviewed last year, acquitted himself well against a veteran side. It was the kind of start you want for a young player. No, he didn’t break the game open or do the impossible, but he didn’t look lost either. It’s a performance to build off on and gain confidence from.
Tsiki Ntsabeleng too has earned rave reviews from the coaching staff for his energy and determination, and his effort got him a beautiful assist to Musa for the equalizing goal.
Bernard Kamungo continues to show why he is a real asset to this team and needs more minutes. I call him a chaos merchant on the podcast, and by that, I mean he has the speed and skill to make the unexpected happen. He was better on Friday then he was in the previous match.
Also, I want to echo what fans have said. Sebastian Lletget is back and dangerous, earning two assists.
Petar Musa has ten goals this season, again making him one of the best signings for FC Dallas in recent history.
The big takeaway - FC Dallas is still alive in the hunt for something, even if the road is going to be uphill from here on out. Season saving win? For sure. (Although every point from here on out can be given that definition maybe.)
Beating Portland at home makes up for bit of the disappointment from that loss at home to Cincy earlier in the week. FC Dallas is a team that can beat other good teams, even not at full strength.
Of course, the match wasn’t perfect. Nkosi Tafari had a very Tafari-game. We’ve seen why the centerback has both felt like one of the best defenders on the team and also been prone to getting benched by multiple coaches. The opening goal (and even the equalizing goal to some degree) for Portland were mistakes from Tafari. He silenced the criticism with an important goal of his own though and had some excellent defensive moments in the second half to shore up what no doubt was an uneven game for him.
The defensive miscues remain as moments, which Nico talked about a lot, when the team switches off or gets on the back foot a little too much. They are concerning, and you want to see them improve defensively down the stretch if they hope to clamber back into postseason contention.
I hope Luccin takes some of the lessons from the match, even as guys get healthy and a brutal schedule looms, and trusts these young players more and more. He is somewhat being forced to with injuries, but we can also see their potential and energy that they bring on the pitch. It’s going to be uneven.
And as the summer transfer window looms, I hope he is imploring a starter caliber defender to come in and provide an alternative on the back line.
For now, though, the season hangs in the balance.
Sporting Kansas City awaits.