FC Dallas will get the opportunity to open the Major League Soccer Championship Cup playoffs with a beneficial home venue on the strength of an impressive 2022 season.
The team will face an opponent who gave them trouble back in late May, but it is fair to say that neither Minnesota United nor FC Dallas is the same team in October they were in the Spring. When the two clubs met in early September, Dallas secured a 3-0 win.
FC Dallas finished the regular season with a record of 14-9-11 and a total of 53 competition points, placing them seventh overall and third in the Western Conference. Dallas scored a total of 48 goals this season against 37 conceded. Playoff seeding in MLS means Dallas will play the six-seed in the first round. The highest-seeded team hosts and gains home-field advantage.
Minnesota United ended 2022 at 14-14-6 and 48 points. The Loons are one of the few teams to enter the playoffs, having conceded more scores than they gained, with a 48-51 finish. Orlando (-9), Miami (-9), and Real Salt Lake (-2) are the only other teams to qualify for playoff appearances with a negative points difference.
Emanuel Reynoso is the only Minnesota player to hit double-digit goals this season with 10. Luis Amarilla finished with nine goals on 76 shots. Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair finished five clean sheets and had a 69.4 percent save rate over the course of 32 games this season.
Minnesota will be contending with an FC Dallas team that brings a number of weapons to the pitch. Jesus Ferreira scored a franchise-tying 18 goals in 2022, and Paul Arriola scored 10 while assisting seven times. Alan Velasco also scored six goals in only 26 matches this season as he missed time with an injury but has been full-speed for the last games of 2022.
As a goalkeeper, Maarten Paes has been solid, earning eight clean sheets and a save rate of 73 percent totaling 92 saves. He saved two of six penalty kicks this year. Paes joined FC Dallas just before the start of the regular season and started in all 32 games in 2022.
Minnesota’s strength this season has been speed. The fast pace of the Minnesota offense allows the midfield to play further up the pitch, helping to drive clearouts back into the action. At times, speed has been a limitation when facing other teams with speed, such as FC Dallas.
The 2022 season has been a rebirth for FC Dallas after falling short in 2021. The additions of Paul Arriola, Alan Velasco, and Marco Farfan provided ferocity to the Dallas attack. Sebastian Lletget joined Dallas late in the season but has quickly emerged as an important piece of the team’s attacking style.
FC Dallas has a habit of coming onto the pitch hot, scoring fast, and making teams climb out of a hole to get a win. At times during the season, Dallas would seem to slow down in the final 15 minutes, allowing several close games to slip through their fingers despite excellent performances early in the match.
FC Dallas and Minnesota United will play on Monday, October 17, in the first round of the playoffs. The winner of the match will advance to play against Austin FC or Real Salt Lake.
Dallas and Minnesota will know who the possible opponent will be before the match, as Austin and Salt Lake are scheduled for Sunday.