FRISCO, Texas - FC Dallas goes on the road to face the reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles FC this Saturday, March 25 at 9:30PM CT at the newly renamed BMO Stadium.
Here's everything you need to know about the match.
How to Watch
Saturday's match will be available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, along with all MLS matches all season long. The game kicks off at 9:39PM with Keith Costigan and Maurice Edu on the English language broadcast and Jorge Perez-Navarro and Marcelo Balboa providing Spanish commentary.
LISTEN
English: If you can't watch the match, you can listen to all the action on iHeartMedia 1190AM and the FC Dallas App. Host Sam Hale will provide pregame and postgame coverage beginning at 9:15PM with FCD broadcasters Steve Davis and Jon Arnold calling the game.
Spanish: Carlos Alvarado and Rafa Calderon will call the game in Spanish on 1270AM, starting at 9:30PM.
Match Overview
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- FCD record: 2-1-1 (7 points - 4th in West)
- LAFC record: 2-0-1 (7 points - 2nd in West)
- FCD vs. LAFC all-time: 2-4-2 (9 goal scored, 14 goals conceded)
- FCD vs. LAFC all-time away: 0-3-1 (2 goal scored, 8 goals conceded)
STORY LINES
Comeback Points
Dallas heads to LA following its second comeback win of the season. Nico Estévez's men came from behind to beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 with two second-half goals after SKC's Dániel Sallói put the away side in front early on. It was eerily reminiscent of FCD's 3-1 win over the LA Galaxy that included the concession of an early goal by Dallas, followed by an equalizer from Alan Velasco, before Jesús Ferreira ultimately found the winner for the home team. These victories are proof that this Dallas team has the necessary mentality to not drop their heads following disappointing setbacks. Which is, of course, a good thing. But conceding the first goal is also not ideal, something the team has done in three of the its four games so far. Comebacks are great for the drama, but they become increasingly difficult to pull off – especially in difficult away venues like LAFC's BMO Stadium, where any deficit could be too much to overcome.
Attacking Options
Saturday's win also included the long-awaited debut of Jesús Jiménez, the Spanish forward acquired from Toronto FC. With his new P1 work visa in hand, Jiménez came off the bench in the 82nd minute and added a new dimension to FCD's attack. It included a formation shift into the 4-2-3-1 (from Estévez's standard 4-3-3) with Jesús Ferreira dropping into an attacking midfield role. The additional of an extra forward helped create the winning goal two minutes later, as Jiménez leading run occupied SKC's center backs and allowed Ferreira the space to connect with the cross from out wide (sequence below). Jiménez's presence is important because he can fill in for Ferreira in a pinch as a near like-for-like replacement and it allows Estévez to tinker with his attacking tactics on the fly. The more options, the better. Especially against a team like LAFC.
Reigning Champs
Dallas isn't facing just any old opponent Saturday night. It's LAFC, the reigning MLS Cup champions. Oh, they're also the reigning Supporters' Shield champions too. Oh, and Dallas has never won at their stadium (0-3-1). So, it's safe to say it won't be an easy three points. BUT, if you're going to go up against the champs, this weekend may be the best possible time. Steve Cherundolo's team is missing some key pieces thanks to their international duties. Dénis Bouanga, José Cifuentes and Diego Palacios have all featured in LAFC's opening games but are unavailable this Saturday. The absence of forward Bouanga, who has two goals and two assists in three starts this year, is a particularly big miss. Still, LAFC has a deep squad and Dallas will have to contend with the likes of All-Stars Carlos Vela and Ilie Sanchez as well as newcomer Stipe Biuk. No matter who's on the field Saturday night, it promises to be an exciting spectacle.
