After overwhelming their opening opposition, FC Dallas and Nashville SC played to a hard-fought 0-0 draw Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
Nashville (1-0-1, 4 points) goalkeeper Brian Schwake earned his first MLS clean sheet in the encounter, recording a pair of saves.
The team overcame playing the final six minutes plus stoppage time down a man after Matthew Corcoran earned a second yellow card for a late sliding challenge on Dallas midfielder Kaick
Dallas (1-0-1, 4 points) held the advantage in shots (10-7), shots on goal (2-1) and corner kicks (4-3). Michael Collodi made one save in net.
Dallas’ Petar Musa had the best chance of a rather uneventful first half, stopping the ball in a pocket of space outside the box and blasting it at Schwake, who stopped and held it in the 44th minute of play.
Musa had an even better opportunity in the 59th minute, linking up with his strike partner Logan Farrington on a sly one-two through Nashville’s backline, only to send the ball wide of the near post.
Farrington wound up with the ball at his feet after Joaquin Valiente’s cross took a fortuitous bounce off defender Jeison Palacios in the 70th minute, but appeared to lose his footing in tight space.
Cristian Espinoza had two wonderful opportunities in close succession halfway through the second half for Nashville, missing wide in the 75th and 78th minutes respectively.
Schwake was called upon a final time, denying substitute Anderson Julio’s long-range strike in stoppage time.
The Boys in Gold swapped out nine players who started their Tuesday night CONCACAF Champions Cup fixture against Atletico Ottawa, with only Schwake and Corcoran remaining in the starting eleven.
Valiente and Nashville defender Jordan Knight both made their MLS debuts. The match marked the two teams’ first encounter since June of 2023. The visitors were without the services of star striker Sam Surridge, who was out due to an illness.
–Field Level Media
