With a record of 0-1-3, FC Dallas currently find themselves at the bottom of the MLS Western Conference standings with just three points. FCD also remains one of just two winless teams in the entire league. However, heading into Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup match away to D.C. United, coach Schellas Hyndman is focusing on the positives.
“Our team chemistry is good,” he said on Monday. “It’s great compared to last year. With luck, with inches, we could be 4-0, 3-1 or 3-0-1. But something is still separating that, whether it’s the finishing or whatever. The chemistry will only get more and more tested the less successful we are. If we don’t win, people start pointing fingers. You start to question all these things, but if you win the game, you forget all that crap and you move on."
In all four games, FCD have reason to see the glass as half full. They have created chances, have been in a position to win every game and have fought back in their last two games at Pizza Hut Park to claim a point each time. Most recently, last week, a penalty kick by Jeff Cunningham in the 94th minute salvaged a 2-2 tie with Seattle.
“Each game, we haven’t gotten blown out,” Cunningham said. “It’s just little details that are fixable. We will improve on them and get better. Sometimes you do enough to win games and don’t get the result. It’s no reason to hang our heads.”
FCD captain Daniel Hernandez, who has provided some much-needed bite in the center of the park for Hyndman’s club, chooses to view the results in context.
“The biggest positive is we’re actually playing good soccer,” he said. “I think that the other big thing is we’ve been creating a ton of chances. We have to keep our confidence up and keep believing that we are good players, a good team and that we’re playing well.”
