FRISCO, Texas – For months now, there’s been just one focus for David Ferreira: getting back on the field.
With that out of the way this past weekend, the real work can begin. In his first start since April 23, 2011, Ferreira (above right) ran the show for FC Dallas like one might expect.
One of the major OPTA stats looking at attacking players is key passes, defined as a pass that creates a scoring chance that is not converted. This past Saturday night against San Jose, Ferreira had five key passes, tied for the most any FCD player has had in a game this season. Not bad for a guy returning from nearly 15 months out.
OPTA Chalkboard: Ferreira leads Dallas attack
“What a good performance from David Ferreira,” head coach Schellas Hyndman said after the game. “We talked about him going 30 to 40 minutes and he went the full 90.”
HIGHLIGHTS: DAL 0, SJ 0
FC Dallas will be clearly happy with the performance from their talisman given the circumstances, but the fact still remains that Dallas were still held scoreless.
Choosing to play Ferreira for the full 90 minutes was certainly a talking point after the game as Hyndman balanced many different factors in deciding whether to leave the Colombian on the field for the entire match. Ferreira’s first half was nearly up to his pre-injury standards, but the 2010 MLS MVP faded through the second half.
“I think at that point in time David was really tired, but he’s the one that’s going to give you the killer pass,” Hyndman said of the second-half chances. “You take a risk of putting somebody fresh on the field and not being able to give that killer pass.”
With a crucial road match in the altitude of Colorado on Saturday, Ferreira’s fitness will be a major factor in determining whether Dallas can get those goals they need to lift themselves out of the cellar in the Western Conference.
“Little by little, I'm getting better,” Ferreira said in a postgame interview. “At the end, I felt a lot of fatigue from the game. I was happy because I was able to play the whole game, but I know that I need to keep improving.”
