Minnesota United FC vs. FC Dallas | 2017 MLS Match Preview

Sam Stejskal

Minnesota United FC vs. FC Dallas
2017 MLS Match Preview
TCF Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Saturday, September 23 – 8 pm ET
WATCH: MLS LIVE

One question will dominate the narrative around Saturday’s match between Minnesota United FC and FC Dallas at TCF Bank Stadium: Will FCD finally stop their late-summer free fall?

Dallas spent the first half of the season looking like a Western Conference power and Supporters’ Shield contender. After recording a third straight win on July 22 at Montreal, FCD were in first in the West and cruising towards yet another playoff berth.

Two months later, and Oscar Pareja’s squad are below the playoff line.

Dallas are 0-5-4 in nine regular season matches since that win in Quebec, and have slipped to eighth in the West. They’re in real danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since Pareja took over in 2014, and desperately need a result on Saturday to stay in contention and potentially lift the locker room.

Minnesota won’t make it easy on them. The Loons are playing some decent soccer, with their win at Montreal last Saturday moving the expansion club to 2-1-1 in their last four. No. 1 overall SuperDraft selection Abu Danladi is in form after starting his rookie year slowly, and striker Christian Ramirez has returned to the lineup – and the scoresheet – after missing a month due to injury. Both will test the FCD backline in Minneapolis on Saturday night.

Minnesota United FC

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT – M Bernardo Anor (left lower leg injury), M/D Thomas de Villardi (left Achilles injury), M Sam Cronin (head injury); QUESTIONABLE - D Jermaine Taylor (head injury)

Projected Lineup
(4-2-3-1, left to right)
Bobby Shuttleworth – Marc Burch, Francisco Calvo, Michael Boxall, Jerome Thiesson – Ibson, Collin Martin – Miguel Ibarra, Kevin Molino, Ethan Finlay – Christian Ramirez

Notes: Last weekend’s win at Montreal was Minnesota’s second in their last three away games. Prior to the first win in that stretch, a 2-1 win at Chicago on Aug. 26, Minnesota were winless in their first 10 MLS away games … Danladi scored his sixth goal of the season and third in his last four matches in the win at Montreal. His six goals this year are the most of any MLS rookie.

FC Dallas

Suspended: D Matt Hedges (yellow card accumulation)
Suspended after next caution: M Carlos Gruezo
International Duty: None
Injury Report: None

Projected Lineup
(4-2-3-1, left to right)
GK: Jesse Gonzalez – Atiba Harris, Maynor Figueroa, Walker Zimmerman, Hernan Grana – Kellyn Acosta, Carlos Gruezo – Roland Lamah, Mauro Diaz, Michael Barrios – Maxi Urruti

Notes: Dallas’ nine-game winless run is the fourth-longest in club history and the longest since an 11-game run without a victory in 2013. The club record 13-game winless streak was set in 2012.

All-Time Series

This is the second meeting between the sides, and the first in Minnesota. FC Dallas won the first matchup, beating the Loons 2-0 at Toyota Stadium on April 8.