All Jesus Ferreira needed was a chance, he’d likely argue. And the FC Dallas Homegrown Player is sure making the most of it.
Ferreira, starting his fifth straight game, found net yet again in Saturday’s 2-1 win at defending MLS Cup champions Atlanta United. His strike – a cooly-slotted shot after Michael Barrios’ cross – marked his third goal in four games.
Just 18, the son of former MLS MVP David Ferreira now has three goals and two assists on the year, seldom looking out of place. His run also speaks to a youngster making the most of his chances.
During his Development Academy days, Ferreira was coached by now first-team manager Luchi Gonzalez. So when Dominique Badji went down to injury, Gonzalez already had built-in trust with the youngster.
But 400-plus minutes thus far were hardly to be expected after he had accrued just 22 minutes of MLS action the two prior seasons. Rather, the bulk of the Colombian’s professional action had come while on loan at USL Championship side Tulsa Roughnecks FC.
Taking Ferreira’s emergence a step further, he’s also kept Zdenek Ondrasek largely on the bench. Ondrasek, 30, was signed this past offseason after an extensive European career, most recently with Polish side Wisla Krakow.
While one might expect Badji, the somewhat-proven MLS goalscorer, or Ondrasek, the veteran with Europa League experience, to feature prominently, a different goalscorer has emerged.
It’s been Ferreira zooming out ahead of the pack – and showing few signs of slowing down any time soon.
