FC DALLAS vs. COLORADO RAPIDS
Toyota Stadium | Frisco, Texas
Saturday, September 10 | Week #27 | MLS Game #278
9 pm ET (MLS LIVE, Altitude, TXA-21, TWCSC-TX)
It’s a high-profile meeting between high fliers in the Western Conference when FC Dallas play host to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday evening at Toyota Stadium. FC Dallas come into the match with the chance to become the first team to clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs, leading the conference and MLS overall table by eight points following their second consecutive victory in a 3-1 home win against the Portland Timbers in Frisco last weekend. The Rapids are coming off consecutive defeats for a first time this season, starting their road swing with a 2-0 loss at the New England Revolution that left them in a tie for second place behind FC Dallas.
DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE (PDF)
- FC Dallas won their second consecutive game, extended their home undefeated streak to 19 games in league play and moved to the verge of clinching the first berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs, defeating the Portland Timbers 3-1 on Saturday evening at Toyota Stadium. Mauro Diaz scored for a second consecutive game, also assisting on a goal.
- The Rapids have lost consecutive games for the first time this season, their overall winless streak now at four matches, starting their road swing with a 2-0 defeat by the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on Saturdayevening.
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Marlon Hairston gave the Rapids the lead late in the first half, but Victor Ulloa hit for the equalizer eight minutes from the end to leave the teams in a 1-1 draw July 23 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- The Rapids claimed the only win in the season series last year, a 4-0 win April 10 at Toyota Stadium. It was Colorado’s first win in Frisco since 2012, and ended a three-game FCD winning streak in the series.
- The teams have played to three consecutive 1-1 draws at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids have won just one of their last seven home matches against FCD, with three draws, dating back to the 2012 season.
REFEREE: Robert Sibiga. AR1 (bench): Jeff Muschik; AR2 (opposite): Jeffrey Greeson; 4th: Hilario Grajeda
MLS Career: 17 games; FC/gm: 23.6; Y/gm: 3.2; R: 5; pens: 4
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DAL: Matt Hedges
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DAL: Maynor Figueroa … COL: Axel Sjoberg, Jared Watts, Jermaine Jones, Shkelzen Gashi, Micheal Azira
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (66 meetings): FC Dallas 31 wins (2 shootout), 106 goals …Rapids 21 wins (1 shootout), 83 goals …Ties 14
AT DALLAS (33 meetings): FC Dallas 22 wins (2 shootout), 62 goals … Rapids 7 wins (1 shootout), 37 goals … Ties 4
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Marlon Hairston gave the Rapids the lead late in the first half, but Victor Ulloa hit for the equalizer eight minutes from the end to leave the teams in a 1-1 draw July 23 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- The Rapids claimed the only win in the season series last year, a 4-0 win April 10 at Toyota Stadium. It was Colorado’s first win in Frisco since 2012, and ended a three-game FCD winning streak in the series.
- The teams have played to three consecutive 1-1 draws at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids have won just one of their last seven home matches against FCD, with three draws, dating back to the 2012 season.
- Coaches record: Oscar Pareja vs. COL: P7 W3 L1 D3 … Pablo Mastroeni vs. DAL: P7 W1 L3 D3
LAST MEETING (MLS):
7/23: COL 1, DAL 1 (Hairston 44 – Ulloa 82)
- The Rapids took the lead in the 44th minute. Pressure on the ball from Marlon Hairston forced a turnover, and he attacked the open space and rounded FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz before slotting into the open net.
- But then seconds after stepping onto the field as a substitute in the 82nd minute, Victor Ulloa settled an attempted clearance, took a touch and blasted a screamer from distance into the top right corner of the net.
- COLORADO RAPIDS (4-2-3-1): Tim Howard - Mekeil Williams (Eric Miller 46), Jared Watts, Axel Sjoberg, Marc Burch - Sam Cronin, Micheal Azira - Marlon Hairston (Luis Solignac 79), Dillon Powers (Marco Pappa 84), Shkelzen Gashi - Kevin Doyle.
- FC DALLAS (4-2-3-1): Chris Seitz - Atiba Harris, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Hedges, Maynor Figueroa - Kellyn Acosta, Carlos Gruezo (Victor Ulloa 80) - Ryan Hollingshead (Agustin Jara 86), Mauro Diaz, Michael Barrios - Tesho Akindele (Coy Craft 79).
