With the MLS all-time leader in saves, Kevin Hartman, out with back spasms, FC Dallas had to make an adjustment. They turned to the rarely used Chris Seitz to man the nets in Saturday night’s game at Vancouver.
Playing in just his second league match since joining Dallas before the 2011 season, Seitz didn’t keep a clean sheet or get a win, but he did get some much needed and much appreciated playing time.
“I felt comfortable going in,” Seitz said. “Obviously, you never want to see somebody get injured, but I was definitely ready for the opportunity. “
Camilo Sanvezzo got the matchwinner, besting Seitz in the 11th minute to put the Whitecaps up 1-0 — a lead they held onto for the rest of the game.
But Seitz performed valiantly throughout. He made a couple of key plays including a save on a Camilo rocket in the 75th minute.
“The guy ended up coming down the line. It’s one of those things where you try to stay big across the goal,” Seitz said. “He made a near-post run, and I was lucky enough to react to it.”
In other words, time and again, Seitz kept his team in it. But FC Dallas just could not equalize.
“I think we did pretty well in the match,” Seitz said. “We created a lot of chances in the first half. At the end, we only allowed two shots on goal. Going forward, we definitely created chances.”
Not that the positives outweigh the negatives. Dallas are still winless on the road, and have now slipped to 5th place in the Western Conference.
But Seitz is confident his team will eventually find success away from home if they keep working hard.
“It’s disappointing losing on the road, but we have to bounce back. We have a game on Wednesday,” Seitz said. “We just have to get our legs underneath us. We have to keep on grinding, and if we do all the right things, we are going to get goals, and we are going to get wins.”
FC Dallas will take on Real Salt Lake on April 25. With a short week coming up, Seitz could get his second start of the season if Hartman is unable to make a full recovery.
WATCH: Full Match Highlights
