Dallas hope to remain unbeaten in tough test in Big Apple

Saturday night’s match at Yankee Stadium was supposed to be a showdown between the league’s two unbeaten teams, but that changed after NYC suffered a shocking 3-0 defeat to the struggling Timbers. Was the team and their manager Patrick Viera distracted by news from North London that a certain Mr Wenger was stepping down from Arsenal? Viera has refused to be drawn into any speculation, but it’s hard to imagine it isn’t a factor, particularly as Wenger has talked up the French midfield legend as an option to succeed him.

New York City dominated possession in Portland, completing nearly 800 passes (the 5th highest in the MLS since OPTA started tracking data in 2010), but Portland were clinical in a smash-and-grab win. New York still sit perched at the top of the Eastern Conference but have Atlanta hot behind them and having played one less game.

New York’s loss meant that Dallas are the only team left in the MLS without a loss. They cleaned up last Saturday night with comprehensive 2-0 win over Philadelphia Union. All talk before the match was about how Oscar Pareja had benched both Maruo Diaz and Maxi Urruti, yet it was those two players that would come off the bench to grab both goals.

Dallas looked good in the first half creating a rack of chances. Andre Blake in the Union net was in inspired making 8 saves. Mosquera was in scintillating form, doing just about everything but score, and Roland Lamah was always a constant threat, sending balls beyond a very frail-looking Union back-four. It was actually Mosquera who made way for Diaz on the hour who scored a penalty within minutes of coming on to give Dallas the lead. Maxi would come on to score a fine goal from a tight angle to double the lead, but the moment of the match actually occurred before either super sub made their appearance. Jimmy Maurer made one of the most spectacular double-saves you’ll ever see in this league, or any league, to somehow deny David Accam and CJ Sapong.

Maurer has been the story of the season for FC Dallas. Coming into the MLS at the age of 29 for the first time, he has been sensational, and it’s hard to see how Oscar can drop him when Jesse Gonzalez returns from injury. The Dallas defense with Maurer between the sticks has shipped on 3 goals in 6 matches, the best defense in the league. Reto Ziegler has been a colossal presence at the back along with new signing Anton Nedyalkov, and they have developed a great understanding with Reggie Cannon and Matt Hedges.

Familiar concerns remain with this team though. Dallas squandered a lot of great opportunities on Saturday, and have been lacking composure in front of goal for a while now. Maxi made a great finish, and perhaps that fact he had been benched by Oscar meant he felt he had something to prove. In fairness to Pareja, he managed the game perfectly last Saturday, and he is going to have a job on his hands keeping this roster happy with the tinkering that is likely to take place over the next few months. Pareja has continually talked about how this is a transitional period, and he intends to continue experimenting with the line-up. People don’t typically being benched, and with certain players coming back from injury soon, Oscar’s man-management skills are about to be tested to the limit.

But if the team continues to perform and create chances like it did against Philadelphia the fans won’t be complaining. It is worth mentioning though that last season Dallas also were the last team to lose a game (this is actually the first time in MLS history the same team has been the last to lose a match in back-to-back season) and we all know how disappointing that season ended up being.

Expectations aren’t as high this year though, which favors FCD. They will be buoyed with confidence after the win last week and should have nothing to fear against New York. New York will be wounded by last week’s shocking defeat, and they will be angry and looking to take it out on Dallas.