Looking back, it was one of the greatest nights in FC Dallas history. Maybe the greatest.
Ten years ago, on Sept. 13, 2016, FC Dallas lifted the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the second time – its first major trophy in almost two decades and first since rebranding from the Dallas Burn and opening its new home at Toyota Stadium.
It wasn’t just the glory of winning American soccer’s most historic tournament. The Open Cup, originally founded in 1914, has borne the name of Lamar Hunt – the soccer pioneer and FC Dallas owner until his passing – since 1999. Although Dallas had won the Open Cup before in 1997, the 2016 victory was made that much sweeter now that the tournament represented its patriarch.
“We always prioritized the Open Cup, not just to give ourselves a chance of winning a trophy for the club but also to honor Mr. Lamar Hunt,” said Oscar Pareja, FC Dallas’ head coach at the time who’d also played for the club under Hunt’s tenure as owner. “It’s the oldest tournament, but also it represented the connection that we had with Mr. Lamar, and we were very grateful and aware of the legacy that he left in soccer in the United States.”
FC Dallas and Pareja’s journey to the showpiece final in September was full of near misses. The club almost fell at the first hurdle, only narrowly beating second-division club Oklahoma City Energy on penalties after a 2-2 tie in regulation. In the Round of 16 against the Colorado Rapids, Dallas squeaked through 2-1 thanks an extra time goal from forward Maxi Urruti. Extra time was almost required again in the quarterfinal against archrivals Houston Dynamo, save for a 91st minute strike from Fabian Castillo.
Dallas’ tournament run was tinged with drama and that theme was no more obvious than in the semifinal against Bruce Arena’s LA Galaxy. Dallas traveled to Carsen, California on Aug. 10 and played to a scoreless draw over 90 minutes, sending FCD to extra time for the third time in four games. After 101 minutes, the Galaxy finally opened the scoring from the penalty spot after FCD goalkeeper Chris Seitz felled Mexican international Giovani dos Santos in the box.
Four minutes from a semifinal elimination, Dallas flipped the script. First, a Mauro Díaz corner kick was nodded in by defensive anchor Matt Hedges. Five minutes later, in added time of extra time, they performed the trick again – this time it was Homegrown midfielder Victor Ulloa who rose highest to meet Diaz’s corner for Dallas’ winner.
“After that game, after what happened in those five minutes and how we had gone through, I knew we were gonna win it all,” said Hedges, who returned to the club in a coaching capacity following his retirement. “You just get that feeling. Sometimes you just have the feeling like it's gonna happen.”
The improbable comeback set up a date with destiny opposite the New England Revolution, the opponent that had defeated Dallas in the club’s previous trip the Open Cup final in 2007. And just like that edition, the 2016 final would be held at FC Dallas’ Toyota Stadium, giving the club a chance to right the wrongs from the previous decade.
“The game being in front of our fans, having that opportunity to give them a trophy on our field was important,” Pareja said. “We were also setting the basis for the Academy, the players that were coming up and developing, we wanted them to see that the team could win trophies and being at home represented unity on all of those objectives that we had at the time.”
Heading into the game itself, Pareja’s message was clear: “Finals are unique opportunities. Regardless of the lineup, I want the players to know that the commitment to the club, whoever is on the pitch, is 100 percent. We had a very good family there with the players, it was one of the best rosters in terms of unity. And we approached the game like an opportunity to make history in our club.”
But it was the visitors who struck first when U.S. international Juan Agudelo turned on the edge of Dallas’ box and fired past Seitz in goal after six minutes.
“Like any match, you go into it with the best expectations but it's true that we started losing,” Pareja remembered. “But the team was very mature. I didn't have any doubt that we were going to win it. We were patient and waited for our players to react to it.”
No strangers to deficits early or late, Pareja’s side rallied quickly and equalized through Urruti 10 minutes later. Dallas took control late in the first half when Hedges scored another header – his second in as many games – to take the lead before Díaz converted a penalty. 3-1 at the interval.
“I remember when the boys came in into the locker room, they were all excited talking to each other. I remember my speech was not long, it was probably one of the shortest because the interaction they had with each other was fantastic. So I let them be, and then the instructions were just to continue. Other than that, it was a normal tactics message. But I do remember that it was short.”
Dallas started the second half better than the first with Urruti adding a fourth goal just after the hour mark. Although Agudelo pulled one back for the Revolution, it proved only a consolation. A convincing 4-2 victory. Dallas had their redemption and their glory.
The 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was FC Dallas’ first major title in 19 years. The fans didn’t have to wait long for the next one though, as the club clinched the MLS Supporters’ Shield (for the very first time) the following month.
“That final has got to be right near the top (moments of his career),” Hedges said. “Not only winning the trophy but my contribution to it, scoring in the semifinal, scoring in the final. It's not something that happens all time, especially it being in front of our fans. So it’s right there at the top.”
“We finally brought a major trophy to the club,” Pareja said. “Again, it meant a lot to us because of Mr. Lamar Hunt, it was in front of the fans, and it was a way for us to ignite ourselves towards the playoffs. With all those things in mind, it was a great feeling. A truly great feeling.”
