FRISCO - It was an Argentine midfielder named Mauro who gave FC Dallas a boost on Saturday night - but it wasn't the usual suspect.
Midfielder Mauro Rosales stepped up big coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute of FCD’s 2-2 draw vs. the San Jose Earthquakes. The 35-year-old saw his most minutes of the season while trying to help fill in the void left behind by the injured Mauro Diaz.
“We needed someone to create and put two and three combinations together [tonight],” head coach Oscar Pareja said. “He sparked the team, he created and gave us ideas [during] those minutes. I have to say the substitution with Mauro helped a lot.”
The veteran came on and instantly made an impact for the team. FCD looked more aggressive and threatened to score multiple times thanks to the playmaking ability of Rosales as he helped keep Dallas level during a tough game against San Jose.
“[I tried] to push the team forward, I tried to get into the pockets [San Jose] gave to us,” Rosales said about his performance. “But it’s more about the mentality of the group. We push because we know that we can’t lose and have to get points.”
While he hasn't seen a large number of minutes in the opening weeks of the season, Rosales’ performance on Saturday night could lead to a bigger role for the veteran. Pareja said that Rosales could earn more valuable playing time if he keeps up the great play.
“What Mauro did today was a key component of that second half,” Pareja said. “I thought he gave us probably what Mauro Diaz gives us when he’s on the field. I’m very happy and pleased with Rosales.”
Though a draw was not the result they wanted, Rosales said that the team is happy with the fight they showed throughout the game after being down twice. With FCD finishing up it’s first of three games in eight days, Rosales said that the team has to move on with the result and prepare to face two more top teams during this stretch.
“Everybody has to be ready, we have a lot of games and this is what we want,” Rosales said. “We want to move forward and even playing against Portland [Timbers] and [Sporting Kansas City], we mentioned that they’re playing well and if everybody [has] a positive mentality, we’ll be okay to face those teams.”
