Talk about a historic road trip for FC Dallas.
Eric Quill’s side heads to Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte on Saturday for the first time in franchise history - a quirky inter-conference October fixture that carries more weight than a typical late-season non-conference game has any right to.
Dallas comes in riding a six-game unbeaten run with a playoff berth that’s getting closer to officially being locked up. Charlotte is right in the playoff fight in the Eastern Conference, playing in front of what has become one of the better atmospheres in MLS this season.
Also: Petar Musa is back. And he’s still one goal from history. Let’s dive into what we’ll be watching for this weekend.
This game is no gimme - Charlotte is dangerous at home
The fact that Dallas has never played a game in Charlotte before means there’s no historical reference point, no muscle memory of playing there, and no “we’ve handled this environment before.” That’s more relevant than it sounds. Charlotte plays a physical, direct style at home that tends to rattle visiting teams in the first 20 minutes before they can adjust.
Coming off an international break without a tune-up match, this could be a place where FC Dallas could trip up if they come out cold.
Charlotte is a weird team to pin down. They’re 2-1-2 in their last five, with the lone loss coming nearly two weeks ago at home to the Chicago Fire. The Crown did pick up road wins in DC and put up a wild 3-3 draw at Cincinnati. Home or away, they’ve shown they can beat anyone in the East on a good day. Dallas cannot afford to spend the first half figuring out the atmosphere. Start fast, staying organized, and treat Bank of America Stadium like every other road game this season.
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The record is still there - let Musa cook
Musa has been one goal away from the outright FC Dallas single-season scoring record for a few weeks now. The moment hasn’t been right in recent weeks for him to get it done.
Perhaps Charlotte is the right place to make it happen.
Musa returns from international duty healthy, motivated, and going up against a defense that is playing its most important game of the season without its best defender.
The record doesn’t care who the opponent is. Goal 19 puts Musa on a different level than any other goal scorer in club history.
Getting Musa involved early and often in this one will be key. We know Musa is at his best when he has space to work with around the penalty area. With Tim Ream out this weekend, Dallas has no excuse to find Musa as often as they possibly can.