Even if the this week’s Major League Soccer schedule has been mercifully abbreviated due to the FIFA qualifier window, there’s still a dandy sitting out there in Week 6.
FC Dallas visiting Portland absolutely qualifies for “Dandy” status.
It’s the league leaders (FC Dallas) visiting the league’s hottest team. Kickoff Saturday from Jeld-Wen Field in Stumptown is set for 5 p.m. ET on ESPN. FC Dallas has lost just once since early March, and that was in Seattle while missing some of its best men. Portland, meanwhile, is unbeaten in 12 in a row.
First-year Timbers manager Caleb Porter (pictured) and his ability to so quickly spin gold out of club that struggled mightily through its initial pair of MLS seasons is among the best stories of domestic soccer in 2013. Meanwhile, Schellas Hyndman’s FC Dallas has been a surprise as well – not so much that his team would bounce back after so many crushing injuries last year, but that it would bounce so high in this year of redemption.
So much of the Western Conference leader’s success has been in Texas this year. Not only have they built an unbeaten (7-0-1) record in MLS matches, they also just eliminated Houston to move into the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals inside the Frisco ground.
But it’s also worth noting that the Red Stripes have taken points in four of six matches away from FC Dallas Stadium this year, too.
One issue for Dallas could certainly be that Open Cup win. Hyndman’s team prevailed 3-0 on Wednesday, had a day to recover and then needed to get on the plane for Oregon. Hyndman, who holds the Open Cup in high regard because it is named after a personal friend and the patriarch of Dallas soccer, played a mostly-first choice lineup.
Portland played more of a mix in its Open Cup win this week, and had the benefit of staying in Oregon in between matches.
There was controversy last time Porter’s team met FC Dallas. A Darlington Nagbe goal had given the Timbers a 1-0 lead after the break, but Kenny Cooper converted an iffy penalty kick award as the teams split the points in Texas.
(Porter thought it was more than “iffy.” What he said: “It’s hard to win a game when you’re playing against 12 men. For me, that’s just unfair, completely unfair.”)
Dallas will be without its top striker, Panamanian international Blas Perez, and Peruvian first-choice goalkeeper Raul Fernandez. Portland will be also be nicked by internationals no available, including left winger Rodney Wallace, a Costa Rican international who is having a great year after conversion from defender, and center back Futty Danso
Stylistically, look for Portland will possess the ball as the visitors attempt to play a lot of defense, counter attack through the likes of Kenny Cooper and speedy Colombian Fabian Castillo, and score off set pieces. Dallas has hit 11 of its 27 goals this year off free kicks or corner kicks, most off the left-footed service of Brazilian midfielder Michel, who has turned into one of the top finds of Major League Soccer’s off-season.
