FC Dallas concludes their 2024 road schedule this weekend with a match against the Portland Timbers on Sunday evening at Providence Park.
Portland has had some recent struggles, including a 1-0 loss at home this past Wednesday against Austin FC.
Key Player: Evander
While there are a few other key players to stop in the Timbers’ attack, Evander continues to be an MVP candidate1 with 15 goals and 18 assists on the season.
Key Matchup: Petar Musa vs Kamal Miller
Orlando and San Jose have given clubs a recent example of how to properly defend Musa in the Dallas attack. If you stick a body on him in the midfield it does limit what he is able to do on and off the ball, plus it frustrates him a good bit. Miller is a savvy MLS veteran that could use that knowledge to frustrate Musa in and around the penalty area.
Availability Report2:
Suspended: none
Out: Mason Toye (back)
Questionable: David Ayala (lower body)
On Loan: none
International duty: none
Quick Notes:
Previous meeting: The two sides met earlier this summer in Frisco for the annual July 4th game. It was a wild five-goal game that saw FC Dallas come out on top 3-2.
Timbers at home: Portland is similar to FC Dallas in their own building, good but not truly great. They’re 9-3-4 at Providence Park this season.
Recent form: The Timbers only have one win since the end of the Leagues Cup, a 1-0 home game over rivals Seattle at the beginning of September. Portland is 1-2-2 in their last five games.
High-scoring act: Evander, Felipe Mora and Jonathan Rodriguez have each scored 14 or more goals this season. Also, don’t sleep on Santiago Moreno and his six goals and 14 assists on the season.
Potential Lineup:
Phil Neville continues to use a 4-2-3-1 look this season.
Crepeau; Bravo, Zuparic, Miller, Mosquera; Williamson, Chara; Rodriguez, Evander, Moreno; Mora
Keys To Three Points over Portland
- Play for pride: With two games to go on the season, playing for contracts may be on the minds of some players for FC Dallas but in reality, it should be more about playing for pride. Go out on the season with some positive results, even if they won’t get you into the playoffs. Give the fans a reason to be hopeful for 2025.
- DP trio time: We’ve seen a few games now with Alan Velasco, Jesus Ferreira and Petar Musa together on the field from the start of a game. With two games left on the year, we need to continue to see them all on the field together as much as possible. That chemistry needs to develop more here as we begin to prepare for the next season.
- Limit stupid mistakes in the back: Had FC Dallas been able to do a better job at this in 2024, we may not be in this spot where they are already eliminated with two games to go. But there is no time like the present to begin to play for next season and find ways to show that they can defend quality attacking teams like Portland with good defense that doesn’t turn the ball over in bad spots, doesn’t give up easy passing lanes, or doesn’t allow pressure on their keeper in the penalty area.
Seriously, any other year in MLS history that didn’t include Lionel Messi, those kinds of numbers would be an instant MVP winner. ↩
Note: MLS has a new injury report deadline that doesn’t hit until the day before each game. I will put last week’s report in these scouting reports and update where I can ahead of the weekly release from the league. ↩
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