FC Dallas seeks rare regular season win in Seattle

It's been 12 years since the last time FC Dallas picked up three points away in Seattle.

Photo via Seattle Sounders

The Pacific Northwest has never been too kind to FC Dallas since the league expanded to include Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. While FC Dallas has managed to get better results in recent trips to Portland and Vancouver, the trips to Seattle have not fared well over the years for Nico Estevez and his club.

Including playoffs, the Seattle Sounders are unbeaten in 16 straight home MLS matches against FC Dallas (W13 D3), with Dallas' only win at Seattle coming in 12 years ago, back in 2011.

“I think it is a great opportunity against Seattle,” said Estevez. “They’re a difficult opponent where we could use points in the table. I think they’re doing a really good job this year.”

The Sounders are currently third in the Western Conference standings after missing the playoffs for the first time in 2022. This year the Sounders didn’t have the Concacaf Champions League to distract them, and Estevez sees how their fresher legs have helped them in the table this season.

“I see them fresher,” explained Estevez. “Last year, all the games that they played in Concacaf. They had different rhythms and types of games. This year, I can see them more refreshed, more focused and with the willingness to do things well after a difficult season for them last year.”

One part that plays a factor for the Sounders is their field surface at Lumen Field is turf instead of natural grass. The quick pace of the turf, along with their large crowds, gives them a big advantage when hosting teams that aren’t used to that type of playing surface.

“First of all, they’re a good team. It’s also the turf, and they also have a good record at home,” said Estevez. “For us, it is going to be what we’ve been learning when we play away. We have to be better and put a better performance on the road.”

Seattle was on a two-game winning streak coming into Wednesday night’s game in San Jose. The Sounders were held scoreless for the sixth time in ten games in a 2-0 loss.

Homegrown forward Dante Sealy believes this game is vital for the team as they will go into a break from league play following this match with Seattle as the league breaks for the new Leagues’ Cup tournament.

“This game is important,” said Sealy. “We’ve had a rough recent form, we want to finish on a high note with three points in Seattle.”