After almost four months, FC Dallas return home Saturday, when the Toros host Sporting Kansas City.
Toyota Stadium has been undergoing renovations for most of the summer, and Saturday marks FC Dallas’ first match at their home venue since May 13. The Toros posted a solid 4-2-3 record during a nine-match MLS road trip that spanned the league’s World Cup hiatus.
While the road stretch was “really tiring mentally,” Dallas goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois felt the club “came into every game with the right mindset,” focusing on smaller details that led to broader success.
“(Head coach Eric Quill) really came down on us this year on having a good mentality,” Sirois told the FC Dallas Agenda podcast. “Not losing our duels on the night because if we win that battle, then we know that with the quality we have, we’ll get chances to win the tactical battle and the technical battle.”
The homecoming could boost a struggling FC Dallas defense. The club has allowed 11 goals in its last three matches, including a 3-3 draw with St. Louis City on Sunday.
Eight of FC Dallas’ final 12 matches are at home, giving the team an opportunity to create breathing room in the crowded Western Conference. Only eight points separate third from 11th place in the West, so Dallas (9-6-7, 34 points) has little cushion despite sitting in fifth.
The only West team not within at least striking distance of the playoff picture is Kansas City (4-15-3, 15 points), which has the fewest points in MLS. Sporting KC are also last in the league in goals scored (20) and tied with Orlando City for most goals conceded (54).
Kansas City is on a six-match winless streak (0-5-1), with just two goals scored in that span.
“We have players in these attacking positions. They have to go finish the actions, and be 100% determined when they go into the final third,” Sporting KC coach Raphael Wicky said.
Newly acquired midfielder Owen Wolff isn’t yet training due to an ankle injury, and Wicky said defender Ian James is questionable to play Saturday due to an undisclosed injury.
Dallas forward Petar Musa has nearly outscored Sporting KC by himself this season, tallying 16 goals. Musa is two behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi in the MLS Golden Boot race.
–Field Level Media
