FRISCO – Once the All-Star festivities are a wrap in Chicago, it is quickly back to business for FC Dallas. The Texas club is off to where it’s always sunny to face the Philadelphia Union in an intra-conference match-up.
Both clubs are looking for a switch of form. FC Dallas look to bounce back from a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Vancouver Whitecaps at home in the past weekend, while the Union are hoping to put a 3-0 loss to the New England Revolution behind them.
A Long Time Coming?
The Union are still searching for its first ever win against FC Dallas. Philadelphia sports an 0-5-4 record against FC Dallas. The last meeting between the two clubs was on the opening day of the 2016 season and saw Dallas pick up a 2-0 win.
Fabian Castillo and Maxi Urruti had the goals in that one.
Shorthanded
FC Dallas will get to deal with a couple of suspensions when Saturday comes. Atiba Harris picked up some yellow card accumulation and will not be available for Oscar Pareja. Carlos Gruezo will also be serving his one game suspension for the red card he received against Vancouver.
Key Match-ups
Jesse Gonzalez vs. John McCarthy: McCarthy is currently filling in for Andre Blake who picked up a hand injury in the Gold Cup final and allowed three goals over the weekend. Gonzalez is fresh off a trophy with the USMNT, and will hope to solidify his spot between the sticks for FC Dallas, but allowed four goals last weekend. This will be two keepers who will not want to be beaten.
Maxi Urruti vs. Oguchi Onyewu: Urruti against Gooch will be a very fun one to watch. Urruti has set a new career single season goal scoring record with 11 already this year, but the Union have not given up a ridiculous amount of goals – just 27 this year. Who will break first?
Last Time Out
4-2-3-1: John McCarthy; Giliano Wijnaldum, Oguchi Onyewu, Jack Elliott, Raymon Gaddis; Haris Medunjanin, Alejandro Bedoya; Marcus Epps, Roland Alberg, Chris Pontius; C.J. Sapong
Key to Three Points
FC Dallas needs to get back to winnings ways, and a team below a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference is a good opponent to do that against. Avoid silly mistakes such as last weekend, and Dallas should be able to run past the Union and make quick work of them. Take shots because Andre Blake is not there.
