Tonight, FC Dallas played host to Guatemalan Champions, Suchitepequez, in a CONCACAF Champions League Group Match. While the lineup is not one that Dallas fans have been used to seeing, nor is it what the Suchitepequez coach was expecting, FC Dallas were ultimately unable to find a goal on 27 shots during the match.
Oscar Pareja felt that the effort he got from his team was good, but “it was one of those nights where we couldn’t score. We had great chances during the whole game but we could not put that final pass, that final touch…We were a team that could not score, and I have to accept it because it is part of the game.”
Carlos Ruiz was a surprise signing at the end of the transfer window, and the Guatemalan almost came up big for FC Dallas. His first start looked to be a dream come true, but he smashed his best shot off the crossbar in the 58th minute after being played in well by Tesho Akindele. The crowd thought Ruiz had his magical moment near the very end of the match when he had a chance to poke home from close range. Manuel Sosa had saved a shot but the ball was trickling toward the goal line and Ruiz could not get to it before it was cleared by a defender.
Getterson, as he has done for most of his appearances, showed glimpses of the kind of player FC Dallas was hoping to see on the field. But those glimpses were also mixed with the most prominent aspect of Getterson’s play for FC Dallas, inconsistency. One trip down the field and he dribbles past two defenders; the next trip down the field, and he lets a ball run out of bounds under his foot. One thing he definitely did not do was put away the many good chances he had in attack.
Credit for some of that must go to the man of the match for Suchitepequez, goalkeeper Manual Sosa. He dealt well with nearly everything that was thrown his way and made the big saves to keep his team in the game. Another bright spot for the visiting team was Wilson Morales play on the right side of midfield. While he did not have blazing speed, his flicks and tricks were a treat to watch.
This result does make things interesting as the season is coming to an end. Both of these teams are tied on points in the CONCACAF Champions League Qualifying group, but FC Dallas hold the tie breaker by having scored one more goal in the group. All Pareja would say about whether this result changed his outlook on the rematch in Guatemala was, “one game at a time.”
He is correct, because all attention for FC Dallas now turns to a huge MLS regular season match October 1st versus the LA Galaxy. There are only three regular season MLS games left for FC Dallas, and two of those are against the Galaxy. Colorado still has a chance to nip in and beat FC Dallas to the Supporters Shield if both teams win all of their remaining games. If the Shield is still in play when the team has to travel to Guatemala for the Oct 20th Champion’s League rematch, Pareja will have some tough choices regarding what lineup to play in Guatemala and what lineup he needs to play in that final MLS match away to LA Galaxy on October 23rd.
Stay tuned for all that and more as the season winds down.
Lineups:
FC Dallas: Jesse Gonzalez – Ryan Hollingshead, Aaron Guillen Norberto Paparatto, Aubrey David, Getterson, Victor Ulloa(C) (Kellyn Acosta 69′), Juan Ortiz, Carlos Lizarazo(Timo Pitter 77′), Coy Craft (Tesho Akindele 56′), Carlos Ruiz
Suchitepequez: Manuel Sosa – Miguel Gonzalez, Erwin Morales(C), Kevin Ruiz, Amaury Escoto, Jonathan Garcia, Julian Lalinde, Joan Cardona (Diego Orozco 73′), Wilson Morales (Ronald Ardon 89′), Rene Mauricio Maltes, Victor Armas (Freddy Lopez 66′)
