FCDallas Falls In Home Finale!

Photo by Willie Martin "Mr. Will"

Even with FCDallas in the playoffs having clinched week earlier there was still incentive to get the victory over the Portland Timbers on a warm October 25 night in Frisco, Texas.

Having scored 55 goals on the season tied a record for most in a season-1997-as Team Pareja eyed an opportunity to set the standard for offensive excellence.

Not since May 31st had FCDallas suffered a home loss if you exclude friendlies and US Open Cup play.

By all accounts the 2014 season for first year coach Oscar Pareja has been a successful one. 

Returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2011 all that remained was whether or not the Red For 90 crew were going to in as a #3 seed or a #4 seed.

3 meant a weekend playoff game. 4 means a knockout round matchup midweek.

Get ready for a midweek knockout round.

The Portland Timbers also had something to play for. A victory (and a Vancouver defeat in Colorado) would ensure the fifth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference of the MLS. 

The Timbers did their part as they caught a flat footed FCDallas team at Toyota Stadium for a 2-0 victory. During the first half the Timbers worked hard at controlling the center of the field on ball possession and finally getting the advantage in minute 43 when Darlington Nagbe fired a blast from deep that would ricochet off the foot of Zach Loyd and fly past goalie Chris Seitz.

Nagbe picked a great moment to get his first goal of the season.

Credit also to Diego Chara and Alvas Powell as they controlled the midfield and kept both Fabian Castillo and Andres Escobar from threatening all evening.

It became a 2-0 score in the 82nd minute when Maximiliano Urruti scored his tenth goal of the season off a Gaston Fernandez feed that Chris Seitz had no chance to defend. 

Twenty minutes earlier what looked to be two scores for FCDallas were disallowed when it was determined that a Michel free kick goal grazed the hand of Fabian Castillo. In the 65th minute a Blas Perez goal was also disallowed when the refs ruled the ball went out of bounds for a corner kick.

With the end of the regular season FCDallas (16-12-6 54 points) will host the Vancouver Whitecaps (12-8-14 50 points) October 29 in a Knockout Round with the winner to play the Seattle Sounders in the Western Semis. 

Not quite November but with a victory on Vancouver FCDallas will enter the new month still alive and still playing. 

The action shall commence at 8 pm CST October 29.

Red For 90.

Dallas Til I Die.

Over and out in Big D.

Mr. Will