FC Dallas

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On Saturday evening, FC Dallas marked a strange season with an even stranger stat:

• FC Dallas is unbeaten on the road, with two wins and one draw.

• FC Dallas has yet to win or draw at home.

Weird, right?

Visiting Real Salt Lake, Jose and I last week on the pod suggested a draw would be a worthy and credible result as this team continues to work to figure itself out.

But against Real Salt Lake, with an early red card given to the home side, FC Dallas carved out more than a draw but the full three points. Maybe the referee’s decision was harsh, but Dallas has rarely been the recipient of the soccer gods in recent seasons. Lucho Acosta rose up to grab a header and the win, a marker that this team is better than it has played.

But a marker that suggests the team is still sorting itself out.

Leo Chu got the start in this one, but that winger spot opposite Anderon Julio remains wide open. Maybe Chu gets another look, but Logan Farrington, Bernard Kamungo, and Pedrinho all have cases to make if they can get more consistent.

The defense got a clean sheet, their first of the year.

Osaze Urhoghide is every bit as good a signing as Dallas has had defensively in recent years. He is fast-earning fan plaudits and love. He was all over the pitch in this one, getting forward to try to advance the ball, showing passion to match the intensity of the moment against a feisty RSL squad. The defense needs that kind of vocal leader.

Meanwhile, Michael Collodi had a huge performance. Yes, it helps to go up against a ten-man side, but with Maerten Paes looking shaky, the goalkeeper slot has room to go. At the very least, Collodi can walk away with this performance with confidence and use that as he continues to stake a claim as an MLS-worthy keeper. He will likely get another shot to show his stuff in Open Cup play sooner rather than later.

“An emotional game,” FCD skipper Eric Quill said after the match. “Obviously in an away environment that got really rowdy when the red card happened. But in the 25 minutes before the red card, I thought we were the better team. We moved the ball well, we were getting into good areas and dictating the pace of the game. The red card was unfortunate for them but it’s never easy even a man up especially on the road to see it out. We had some big chances, missed a penalty, their keeper made a big save on (Sebastian) Lletget late. We had some big chances to go two or three up but didn’t take those chances. We put ourselves in a 1-0 game late where they’re throwing the kitchen sink at you. What I loved about us was our ability and mentality in the air when balls were coming in from direct areas, our guys were warriors climbing the ladder, picking up second balls. We knew it was going to get ugly and sometimes you get burned if you don’t have the championship mentality you can get stung on those direct plays.”

The mentality to grind out wins on the road in an emotional environment is exactly what FC Dallas needs to develop at home.

It’s hard to say much more on this match. It’s just a huge three points for a team that simply disappointed at home. They can now put that behind them and start figuring out who they are going to be. Quill has choices to make.

Meanwhile, North Texas Soccer Club traveled to Houston with high expectations to build off their home win last weekend. Things did not go to plan, as Álvaro Augusto earned a second yellow and doomed his squad’s chances. Not that it was all bad - Dallas went ahead on a cheeky goal from Mo Cisset, one of the interesting SuperDraft signings getting seasoning with North Texas.

But the rest showcased how young this team is. With JT Harm, another one of those Indiana University products in goal, North Texas went on to give up a total of five goals.

The result wasn’t in doubt for Houston, but that doesn’t mean that head coach John Gall was going to make excuses.

“Little bit of a strange one tonight, especially when you go up 1-0. I thought we were comfortable being up,” Gall told Afterburn Soccer. “The goal we gave up to get the equalizer was a mistake in our build, and they scored. I felt we should have been up in the game after that but we couldn't get another one. A little bit disappointed when you get a red card on the road since it puts the team in a tough spot. The second goal was a killer blow for us, and I felt that once that goal was scored they had the momentum. It’s never easy to play away but it’s tough losing 5-1.”

He was confident this young side will learn from this result, take ownership for individual mistakes, and grow from there.

This is one that North Texas will have to put behind them as they seek to grow together.

Defender Mo Cisset agreed. “At training I see motivated players and a brotherhood. This trip was great for us in the chemistry part, but we need to get our priorities straight. We are here to take care of business and that is a little shift we need to do on our end. We know going forward it will get better, and we have to work for it.”

We will break down both results on the podcast on Monday.

Meanwhile, what were your thoughts on an up and down weekend for FC Dallas and North Texas Soccer Club?