It was the final home game of the season for FC Dallas against their Texas rival in the final edition of the 2020 Texas Derby.

With a playoff spot secured either with a draw or win, FC Dallas went on to win 3-0.

FC Dallas has secured a playoff berth and sit in 6th place with a 1.55 ppg average.

The Game

Luchi Gonzalez made no changes from the previous game as he looked to secure a spot in the 2020 MLS Playoffs.

Franco Jara opened the scoring for FC Dallas after his initial shot was deflected into the goal by the keeper.

Andres Ricaurte played a well-weighted ball over the top to Fafa Picault who’s well-placed header found the back of the goal to give FC Dallas the two-goal lead.

Bryan Reynolds was taken out of the game on injury precaution after taking a kick to the head. Johnny Nelson replaced him which moved Ryan Hollingshead to right-back and Nelson to left-back.

Jesus Ferreira was replaced by Tanner Tessmann in the 59th minute.

Reto Ziegler and Santiago Mosquera both replaced Michael Barrios and Franco Jara in the 75th minute.

Fafa Picault put the cherry on the game after capitalizing, to secure the 3-0 win.

Thoughts & Takeaways

Patient Passing

Photo: FC Dallas

FC Dallas had started the game with high intensity, looking to attack Houston directly.

As the game progressed, FC Dallas resorted to being patient with their passes, looking for gaps in Houston’s lines to pass the ball into.

This allowed Dallas to bypass multiple players which allowed the attack to move higher up the field quickly while advancing the midfield as a whole.

Defense

The Dallas defense had a solid game and did well to subdue Houston’s shots on goal even when the Dynamo found themselves in threatening positions.

While Reynolds was forced out of the game, both Hollingshead and Nelson maintained strong defensive performances even after the swap in positioning.

The return of Matt Hedges to the backline has resulted in a notable improvement in the quality and stability of the defensive play and while Ziegler has missed the last two games, FC Dallas seems to have found the defensive stability that was on display at the beginning of the season.

Momentum Builder

FC Dallas heads on the road for their last two regular-season games and will look to secure a home playoff game. Both Nashville SC and Minnesota United have been quality opponents during the season and will prove to be difficult games for FC Dallas to get points from.

FC Dallas hasn’t always had a favorable road record and the last two games will be critical for their final placement in the standing but also in terms of building form for the playoffs.

As the season winds down, this home win will prove to be a needed momentum builder for the club as they head on the road and into the playoffs.

FC Dallas will play Nashville SC on Wednesday, November 4th, at 7:30 PM on the road.
Featured Image: FC Dallas
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