One game was all that kept FC Dallas from claiming the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title. Last fall, the Hoops advanced to their third Open Cup championship game but fell to the New England Revolution at Pizza Hut Park. FCD's quest to finish the job begins on Tuesday when the club plays host to Miami FC of the United Soccer Leagues First Division.
"Last year is definitely motivation for us because we got that close to winning it," FC Dallas striker Dominic Oduro said. "We haven't gotten over that and want to go a step further. We're playing Miami and aren't saying that they're not a good team, but we need to show our superiority over them. Hopefully, we get a good result on Tuesday."
Tuesday's match will be the third for the Hoops in the past week. The stretch started with a 1-1 draw at Houston on Thursday, a result that netted FCD "El Capitan," a cannon awarded to the winner of the season series between the two Texas sides.
On Sunday night, FCD dropped a tough 2-1 result to Chivas de Guadalajara after taking the lead in the 21st minute off a Juan Toja goal. But Chivas scored twice in the final nine minutes after Hoops head coach Schellas Hyndman made wholesale changes to his team.
Not in the lineup against Chivas was FCD's leading scorer Kenny Cooper, who got the night off. Also sitting out was third-year midfielder Dax McCarty, who continues to work his way back after sports hernia surgery in May and defensive midfielder Pablo Ricchetti, who was out with a right foot injury.
Cooper and McCarty are both near-locks to start against the Blues. And if Ricchetti is healthy, he should also be in Hyndman's first 11. Since FCD can only carry five international players per Open Cup rules, the new Hoops boss will have some decisions to make.
Three players: center back Duilio Davino, goalkeeper Dario Sala and defender Blake Wagner, went the distance against Chivas and will likely be unavailable. Defender Drew Moor played 70 minutes and midfielder Andre Rocha played 61, making both unlikely for Tuesday.
So, for his five internationals, Hyndman could go with Toja, who played 54 minutes on Sunday, fellow midfielder Marcelo Saragosa, who played only the first half, Brazilian striker Ricardinho (31 minutes), Oduro (59 minutes) and Ricchetti.
After Sunday's loss, Hyndman admitted he didn't know much about Miami FC yet because he was waiting on a scouting report for his next foe, but added that his side will be ready.
"They'll be coming in there with talent," he said. "I think they have a couple of Brazilian players, a good striker and a couple of flank players. I really won't know much about them until I get a scouting report."
Given the history of USL sides upsetting MLS teams in the Open Cup, Hyndman knows his team will get the absolute best from the Blues.
"I think if you go back and look at the history of U.S. Open Cup, you will see a lot of games that have gone overtime or a lot of games that have been upset because of the opportunity for the USL teams to showcase themselves and play against an MLS team," he said."
Miami FC enters the match on a seven-match unbeaten streak in USL play, a stretch that includes five draws, including four without a goal. They defeated the Atlanta Silverbacks 1-0 on June 24 to advance thanks to a goal by leading scorer Alex Afonso, also USL's top goalscorer. This is the first time the sides have ever met and the Blues are experiencing their longest run ever in the Open Cup.
FCD holds a record of 15-3 against USL foes in Open Cup play. After losing to the Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) in 1999, the then-Dallas Burn then lost to the Seattle Sounders Select (PDL) in 2001, then lost 4-1 to the Wilmington Hammerheads (USL2) in 2003. That was only the second time in club history that the Hoops have bowed out in the tournament's opening round.
In last year's USOC opener, the Hoops defeated Atlanta in a match that was decided in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes. FCD then dispatched Charleston and Seattle on the road by 2-1 results to reach the final against the Revs, which they lost 3-2 last October.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
