As part of our countdown to MLS opening weekend, we're taking a look at each Week 1 match. On Thursday, we break down the storylines around the FC Dallas-New England Revolution match on March 2 (4:30 pm ET | ESPN+).
After enduring disappointing ends to last season, both FC Dallas and the New England Revolution have reason for optimism ahead of their opening day fixture.
Dallas appointed a new head coach, with Luchi Gonzalez taking over for the departing Oscar Pareja, while the Revs are one season further along into Brad Friedel's tenure. Each side added a new Designated Player this offseason and are returning largely the same core from 2018.
Here are three things to watch as the Revs travel to Dallas:
#PlayYourKids
Already at the vanguard of the academy-to-first-team push in MLS, FCD appear set to crank the dial up another notch with the elevation of Gonzalez from academy director to head coach.
Based on preseason lineups, it looks like Paxton Pomykal has the chance to benefit immediately. He's largely played alongside the presumed starters ahead of Pablo Aranguiz, who was ostensibly acquired to replace magical playmaker Mauro Diaz last year. But Pomykal isn't the only Dallas Homegrown looking to break into the team.
Brandon Servania and Jesus Ferreira aren't far away from earning first-team minutes, though they might take advantage of the club's new USL League One side North Texas SC for early-season playing time.
New DPs making debuts
Carles Gil in training | Kurtis Burke
FC Dallas won't exclusively be made up of players at the start of their career, of course. The club went out and acquired Honduran midfielder Bryan Acosta for a reported $3.2 million fee on a DP deal. The 25-year-old had been playing with Tenerife, who feature in Spain's second tier, since 2017.
Meanwhile, the Revs signed 26-year-old Spanish playmaker Carles Gil from the same division. The former Deportivo de La Coruña attacker has extensive experience in La Liga and the Premier League.
Each debut is eagerly awaited.
First look at Revs' improved attack
The Revs quietly have assembled a formidable attack, with Gil and fellow new signing Juan Fernando Caicedo joining Diego Fagundez, Cristian Penilla, Teal Bunbury and Juan Agudelo. It's expected that only four of that half-dozen of deserving players will play at a time, with talented young players pushing them for minutes as well.
Brad Friedel told MLSsoccer.com earlier this month that, put simply, the team needs to score more goals in 2019.
“We want a lot more goals in our team this year," Friedel said. "Contrary to what some people may have thought or expressed, we were in the top portion of a lot of the stats with regards to corner kicks, attacking half entries, entries in the box and things of that nature, but we only scored 49 goals. I’m not making it a secret that we want to score more goals.”
How will it look against Matt Hedges, Reggie Cannon and the stout Dallas backline?
