FRISCO, Texas – FC Dallas will begin its 17th season in Major League Soccer at home on March 11, 2012, as part of MLS First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, the league announced today.
In 2011, FC Dallas competed in three tournaments, advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, fell one point shy of advancing to the CONCACAF Champions League Championship Stage, and earned a second consecutive MLS playoff berth, all totaling a franchise-record 48 games. In the midst of the hectic schedule, the Dallas side also became the first American team to defeat a Mexican team in Mexico with a 1-0 win at Pumas UNAM. Following the season, Brek Shea and Kevin Hartman were named as finalists for the league’s MVP and Goalkeeper of the Year awards, respectively.
When a broken ankle sidelined the 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira just six games into the season, FC Dallas answered with a nine-game unbeaten streak, a franchise-record 531-minute shutout streak and a franchise-record-tying 52 points. Hartman, already the MLS career leader in nearly every major goalkeeping statistical category, picked up his 100th career shutout. Shea not only played his way onto the short list of MLS MVP candidates, the 21-year-old became a fixture in Jurgen Klinsmann’s U.S. National Team starting XI and was named the top player in MLS under the age of 24.
Following a successful 2011 season and a 2010 berth in MLS Cup, FC Dallas has high hopes for a 2012 season that will see the return of 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira, as well as stars Hartman and Shea.
Across the league all but one MLS club will play in front of their home fans by the end of Week 3 of the 2012 regular season. The Houston Dynamo debut in a new downtown stadium built specifically for soccer on May 12. The Montreal Impact’s first home game in MLS will be played at Olympic Stadium on March 17. The newly-renovated Stade Saputo is scheduled to open in June.
Times, opponents, and national broadcast information for these games will be included in the entire regular season schedule, which will be announced upon its completion in the coming weeks.
Each club will play 34 games in the 2012 MLS Regular Season; CLICK HERE for details on the format.
The dates of the 2012 home openers for all 19 MLS clubs are below.
WEEK 1
Saturday, March 10: Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, LA Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Sunday, March 11: Chivas USA, FC Dallas
Monday, March 12: Portland Timbers
WEEK 2
Saturday, March 17: Sporting Kansas City, Montreal Impact, Real Salt Lake
Sunday, March 18: Philadelphia Union
WEEK 3
Saturday, March 24: Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, New England Revolution, Toronto FC
Sunday, March 25: New York Red Bulls
WEEK 10
Saturday, May 12: Houston Dynamo (new stadium opener)
