A playoff spot secured? Check.
Copa Tejas won? Check.
The Texas Derby? Well, there’s still some unfinished business for FC Dallas.
FC Dallas heads south on I-45 this weekend to battle the Houston Dynamo. After claiming Copa Tejas in September with a scoreless draw against Austin, Dallas can now secure the Texas Derby crown with a win or a draw against the Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium.
With a playoff spot secure, Dallas now sets its sights on locking up a top four spot in the Western Conference. Houston, meanwhile, is still fighting for its postseason position.
Wednesday’s 3-3 draw against San Diego FC was entertaining, with the Dynamo overcoming an early two-goal deficit before eventually conceding a late equalizer.
Dallas already knows what Houston is capable of offensively. The first meeting in Frisco ended in a wild 4-3 victory for the Burn, with Petar Musa delivering the late game-winner after the Orange found multiple ways to climb back into the match.
This weekend’s game has a bit of it all. Let’s dive in.
Tactic Style & Shape:
Under Ben Olsen, Houston has continued to emphasize possession, midfield control and quick combinations through the attacking third. The Dynamo are comfortable building through the middle, with Artur providing stability in deeper positions, while players like Mateusz Bogusz and Guilherme look to find space forward.
Houston has shown flexibility in its formations, depending on the available personnel and opponent. They also move the ball well once it reaches the attacking third, as runners will stretch the field.
Defensively, however, there are opportunities to explore. The Dynamo have conceded multiple goals in four of their last five matches, and their willingness to push players forward and can leave space behind the midfield.
Defensively, however, there are opportunities.
The Dynamo have conceded multiple goals in four of their last five matches, and their willingness to push players forward can leave space behind the midfield.
Key Player: Guilherme
Yeah, there isn’t going to be a debate about who Houston’s most dangerous player is here.
Guilherme has been one of the most productive attackers in MLS this season, and he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. The Brazilian Designated Player has 25 goal contributions this season, with a pair of them coming on Wednesday night in the draw against San Diego.
Key Matchup: Shaq Moore vs Guilherme
You could argue that most of the Dallas backline may be occupied at one time or another with Guilherme on Saturday, but we’ll focus on Shaq Moore here since the Brazilian will operate from the left side of the pitch for the Dynamo.
Moore will need to find ways to keep him quiet and that is easier said than done.
Guilherme wants defenders isolated, particularly when he has room to carry the ball toward the penalty area. He can attack the outside, cut centrally into shooting positions or combine with overlapping teammates to create space.
Moore has to prevent those situations from becoming repeated one-on-one battles in open space.
Availability Report1:
Suspended: none
Out: Felipe Andrade (lower body) Jimmy Maurer (back)
Questionable: Jonathan Bond (upper body)
International duty: none
Quick Notes:
All-time vs FC Dallas: Houston has a 14-17-20 record in all-time regular season matches against FC Dallas, with a 10-5-11 record in home games.
Current form: After winning five in a row after the World Cup break, the Dynamo have one win in their last nine games, including a five-game winless run.
Where they're at in the standings: Despite the slight rut that they’re currently on, the Dynamo are in fifth place with 46 points.
Three keys for FC Dallas
- Don‘t let Guilherme take over: Houston has several dangerous attacking pieces but it is Guilherme who makes everything click. Dallas needs to limit his opportunities in front of goal. That requires a lot of discipline from the midfield and back line to not be pulled out of position.
- Attack Houston before it gets organized: We know Dallas won’t win the possession battle in this one, but that is totally fine. Dallas needs to instead use the chances in transition to push the Dynamo‘s defense when their outside backs advance up the field. Force turnovers in the midfield and make them dangerous opportunities quickly before Houston can reset defensively.
- Bring El Capitan back to Frisco: Dallas has been checking off a lot of items on their to-do list lately and one of the final pieces will be winning the Texas Derby. Winning in any rivalry is always huge, especially when there are playoff implications involved. Dallas cannot approach this one to simply try and protect a draw. Play for the win, and make sure El Capitan heads back north where it belongs.
Want to know how Dallas should line up to exploit exactly what we just broke down? Our weekly ‘What to Watch For’ will tackle that later this week. Sign up free and we'll send it to you before kickoff.
1 Note: MLS has an injury report deadline that doesn’t hit until the day before each game. Our scouting reports will include last week's report and will be fully updated the day before with our injury report for FC Dallas.
