Decision Day is upon us here as FC Dallas is in Southern California tonight to take on the LA Galaxy.
A win tonight will automatically put FC Dallas in the MLS Cup Playoffs, potentially as the 7th seed, avoiding the Wild Card round. But anything outside of a win and FC Dallas will need some other scenarios to happen in order to reach the playoffs.
Let’s dive into tonight’s match with some game notes, projected lineups, and how you can watch the game.
FC Dallas Notes:
Key player for FC Dallas: Jesus Ferreira - He should be due for a goal here, and given the stats this season, good things happen for FC Dallas when he scores. Let’s make it so!
Recent form: FC Dallas has lost only one of its last 15 matches in all competitions (W4 D10) dating back to mid-July. Dallas is unbeaten in eight at home in that time (W3 D6, including two penalty shoot-out losses).
About those draws: FC Dallas’ stretch of five straight draws is a new club record of consecutive draws in MLS regular season play.
Recent games against LA: FC Dallas has won 10 of its last 14 regular-season matches against the Galaxy (D2 L2). Dallas has won three straight over the Galaxy after winning five in a row in 2017-19. Prior to 2017, Dallas had never won more than two straight regular-season meetings with the Galaxy (68 games).
Making weird history: Entering the season finale, FC Dallas has scored 37 goals and conceded 36. Since MLS expanded to a 34-match season in 2011, no team has both scored and allowed fewer than 39 goals in a full season (excluding the shortened 2020 season).
Jesus contributes: Jesús Ferreira’s assist against San Jose two weeks ago was his 17th goal contribution of the season (12 goals, 5 assists). Ferreira has recorded at least 17 regular-season goal contributions in each of his last three seasons, the first FC Dallas player to do so in three straight seasons in club history.
Games missed due to injury: Following last weekend’s game against Colorado, the current total of games missed this season for FC Dallas players who have picked up an injury is up to 761.
Homegrown clock: In 2023, FC Dallas Homegrowns have played a total of 5,430 minutes and made 83 appearances.
Potential Lineup:
Nico Estevez appears to have found his best eleven to go out there in recent weeks, as long as injuries aren’t getting in the way. The big question may revolve around Asier Illarrmendi’s status. He came off the bench last week against Colorado but should be fit to start Saturday’s finale:
Paes; Farfan, Tafari, Ibeagha, Twumasi; Pomykal, Illarramendi, Velasco; Arriola, Ferreira, Obrian
Disciplinary Report
Suspended: none
Suspended after next yellow: Paul Arriola
Availability Report
Out: Tarik Scott (ACL/MCL - season-ending injury), Geovane Jesus (right knee), Sebastian Lletget (hamstring), Facundo Quignon
Questionable: none
On Loan: Colin Smith, Isaiah Parker
International duty: none
LA Notes:
Key player for LA: Billy Sharp
We talked about the newcomer for LA that has scored six goals in six games here:
Disciplinary Report
Suspended: none
Suspended on next yellow card: none
Availability Report
Out: Gaston Brugman (torn meniscus, left knee), Calegari (torn ACL, left knee), Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez (torn ACL, right knee), Martin Caceres (avulsion fracture, left knee), Jalen Neal (sports hernia surgery)
Questionable: Riqui Puig (ankle), Mark Delgado (head)
International duty: none
How to watch
📅 Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
⚽️ Kickoff: 8:00 PM
🏟 Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park
📺 Streaming: MLS Season Pass
💬 Gameday Social: #FCDvLAG
☀️ Weather: 63, sunny
This does not include Tarik Scott, who has missed the entire season with an injury. ↩
