FRISCO, Tex. -- Bruno Guarda is always ready. Should FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman need his Brazilian midfielder, he always wants to be in the mix.
Take FCD’s 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire, when the former SMU star got his chance by coming on in the 59th minute for injured regular Dax McCarty.
“I think Bruno played well,” Hyndman said. “When I looked at the game again, it was interesting because his possession in the game was like 81 percent, which for a center midfielder is really high.”
Said McCarty: “I think he had a fantastic game in my place. That’s what we can count on, the depth on this team.”
It was just Guarda’s second game this season, and even though his playing time has been sparse, he feels he answered the bell at Toyota Park last week.
“I think I did what coach asked me to do. I came in with a lot of intensity,” he said. “It was a 1-1 game. I tried to get the guys going. Our team was doing well. I think I did well.”
Guarda also wanted to show his longtime coach that he can still deliver when he is called upon.
“Schellas knows that any time he needs me, I’ll be ready. I didn’t play for maybe six games and he asked me if I was ready,” he said. “I said yes.”
Despite logging only 31 total minutes with the first team this year, Guarda’s confidence remains high.
“Yeah (I feel confident). I come to practice every day thinking that I’ll get a chance in the game,” he said.
