The stretch drive has arrived, and FC Dallas and Charlotte FC are in the mix for good playoff position in their respective conferences.
Those teams meet Saturday night in Charlotte following a two-week MLS layoff.
“We feel like we’re in that moment now,” Charlotte coach Dean Smith said. “We won some really important games.”
Dallas (13-6-8, 47 points) has points in six consecutive matches, going 4-0-2 in those outings. Dallas hasn’t allowed a goal in its past two matches, including in a 1-0 decision Sept. 26 against Los Angeles FC.
Dallas, now tied for second in the Western Conference with St. Louis, is within three points of first-place Vancouver.
“Now we sit in second place, deservingly so, but we keep our feet on the ground,” Dallas coach Eric Quill said. “There’s a consistent fight from us. It’s not just sometimes. It’s here all the time, and I’m proud of us.”
Charlotte (12-8-7, 43 points) had an eight-match unbeaten streak snapped in its last match, falling 1-0 to the visiting Chicago Fire on Sept. 26.
“That fact that we lost the last game gave us time to reset,” Smith said. “Dallas first, and then we can concentrate on other games. Clubs underneath us trying to catch (up) and we have to make sure we do our job.”
Charlotte sits fifth in the East, but just three points out of a tie for second.
“You need everybody and you need the whole squad firing,” Charlotte defender Nathan Byrne said. “I think we’re in a good place.”
Dallas goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois has seven wins in 11 appearances since joining the club in February and Los Toros have notched back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2024.
Midfielder Joaquin Valiente has an assist in eight of his last 11 matches. The team has won nine of 11 matches when the Uruguayan has an assist this year.
Allan Saint-Maximin has posted one goal and five assists in his nine matches dating to Aug. 15 for Charlotte, which has tallied 18 goals during that stretch.
Charlotte needs to fill the position normally occupied by center back Tim Ream, whose third red card of the season in the last match means he’s suspended for this outing vs. Dallas. Andrew Privett might fill that spot, though he hasn’t been in action for Charlotte for more than two months.
Rain is likely in the forecast for this match.
–Field Level Media
