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| Why Houston Dynamo v FC Dallas is becoming MLS's most vital rivalry | Why Houston Dynamo v FC Dallas is becoming MLS's most vital rivalry |
| (13 days later) | |
| The rivalry between the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas lacks the pageantry of, say, the Sounders-Timbers feud up in the Pacific north-west. Though an official attendance of 22,115 showed up for Friday night’s showdown at BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston’s first announced sellout since July 2015 – the atmosphere was still somewhat short of raucous, and a sprinkling of bright-orange empty seats stood out from the crowd. | The rivalry between the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas lacks the pageantry of, say, the Sounders-Timbers feud up in the Pacific north-west. Though an official attendance of 22,115 showed up for Friday night’s showdown at BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston’s first announced sellout since July 2015 – the atmosphere was still somewhat short of raucous, and a sprinkling of bright-orange empty seats stood out from the crowd. |
| Houston-Dallas lacks the big city sparkle of the New York City FC-Red Bulls games, and the historical weight of matches pitting Toronto against Montreal. What the Texas Derby lacks in grandeur, however, it currently makes up for in on-field quality and stakes – a case can be made that, right now, it is the most compelling rivalry in all of Major League Soccer. | Houston-Dallas lacks the big city sparkle of the New York City FC-Red Bulls games, and the historical weight of matches pitting Toronto against Montreal. What the Texas Derby lacks in grandeur, however, it currently makes up for in on-field quality and stakes – a case can be made that, right now, it is the most compelling rivalry in all of Major League Soccer. |
| Friday’s 1-1 draw was hard fought and well played. The Dynamo struck first, Erick Torres’ 19th-minute goal turning early dominance into a deserved lead. FCD gradually worked their way into the match, and Maxi Urruti’s game-tying goal near the hour mark was the result of an impressive team move. “It was a good representation of the form that Dallas and Houston have,” Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said to reporters about the match afterward, and he was right. | Friday’s 1-1 draw was hard fought and well played. The Dynamo struck first, Erick Torres’ 19th-minute goal turning early dominance into a deserved lead. FCD gradually worked their way into the match, and Maxi Urruti’s game-tying goal near the hour mark was the result of an impressive team move. “It was a good representation of the form that Dallas and Houston have,” Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said to reporters about the match afterward, and he was right. |
| Houston and Dallas currently rank second and third in the Western Conference, respectively, and they backed up their reputation on Friday night. Perhaps most intriguingly, both rivals may only get better from here. | Houston and Dallas currently rank second and third in the Western Conference, respectively, and they backed up their reputation on Friday night. Perhaps most intriguingly, both rivals may only get better from here. |
| Wilmer Cabrera is just halfway into his first season as Dynamo coach. His team is still perfecting his methods. They have a clear identity – concede possession, defend with discipline and counter mercilessly – that is only likely to be further honed with additional time. | Wilmer Cabrera is just halfway into his first season as Dynamo coach. His team is still perfecting his methods. They have a clear identity – concede possession, defend with discipline and counter mercilessly – that is only likely to be further honed with additional time. |
| Even with dynamic winger Alberth Elis starting on the bench, Houston constantly threatened to hit Dallas on the break. Elis’ Honduran national team-mate Romell Quioto has also proved an inspiring offseason signing. Torres has been reborn under Cabrera, ranking second in the league with 11 goals after years of languishing on the fringe of the team’s plans. With that attacking front, even with a sturdy-if-unspectacular back line, a team can go a long way. | Even with dynamic winger Alberth Elis starting on the bench, Houston constantly threatened to hit Dallas on the break. Elis’ Honduran national team-mate Romell Quioto has also proved an inspiring offseason signing. Torres has been reborn under Cabrera, ranking second in the league with 11 goals after years of languishing on the fringe of the team’s plans. With that attacking front, even with a sturdy-if-unspectacular back line, a team can go a long way. |
| Dallas spent the first few months without Mauro Diaz, perhaps their most influential player, and still continued on the upward trajectory they have followed since Pareja took over in early 2014. Bolstered by a seemingly bottomless well of young, local talent, FCD have weathered the departures of difference-makers such as Fabian Castillo to keep on climbing. | Dallas spent the first few months without Mauro Diaz, perhaps their most influential player, and still continued on the upward trajectory they have followed since Pareja took over in early 2014. Bolstered by a seemingly bottomless well of young, local talent, FCD have weathered the departures of difference-makers such as Fabian Castillo to keep on climbing. |
| Dallas won both the Supporters’ Shield and Open Cup last season, only for Diaz’s injury suffered in the penultimate week of the campaign to kill their momentum right before the postseason. This year, FCD looks capable of even more – and could very well find a long-dormant rival standing in their way. | Dallas won both the Supporters’ Shield and Open Cup last season, only for Diaz’s injury suffered in the penultimate week of the campaign to kill their momentum right before the postseason. This year, FCD looks capable of even more – and could very well find a long-dormant rival standing in their way. |
| They both have a long way to go to build lasting traction off the field, but with any luck, the most compelling rivalry in MLS will strengthen its case with a playoff edition come November. | They both have a long way to go to build lasting traction off the field, but with any luck, the most compelling rivalry in MLS will strengthen its case with a playoff edition come November. |
| Elsewhere around the league | Elsewhere around the league |
| - Brad Evans – well, more accurately, Clint Dempsey – ruined some poor Providence Park staffer’s night. Banished to the visiting locker room thanks to his 44th-minute red card, Evans was forced to watch the second half of Sunday night’s Sounders-Timbers match on his cell phone. | - Brad Evans – well, more accurately, Clint Dempsey – ruined some poor Providence Park staffer’s night. Banished to the visiting locker room thanks to his 44th-minute red card, Evans was forced to watch the second half of Sunday night’s Sounders-Timbers match on his cell phone. |
| He was lying on his back icing his back and hamstring when Dempsey netted the 94th-minute header that earned Seattle a road point via a 2-2 draw. | He was lying on his back icing his back and hamstring when Dempsey netted the 94th-minute header that earned Seattle a road point via a 2-2 draw. |
| “You can’t hear anything in here,” Evans said. “I mean, [Portland] didn’t really have any chances in the second half, but they get a couple of corner kicks near the end, and I could hear a little bit. But my wife spoiled it. There was like a 45-second delay. I saw, ‘Yeah!’ and I knew it had to be a goal. … That’s the only reason why she’d have texted me. | “You can’t hear anything in here,” Evans said. “I mean, [Portland] didn’t really have any chances in the second half, but they get a couple of corner kicks near the end, and I could hear a little bit. But my wife spoiled it. There was like a 45-second delay. I saw, ‘Yeah!’ and I knew it had to be a goal. … That’s the only reason why she’d have texted me. |
| “This guy was bringing in food every 10 minutes. I had to show him the goal, because he couldn’t watch the game. ‘Come here, you’ve gotta watch this.’ He was pretty pissed.” | “This guy was bringing in food every 10 minutes. I had to show him the goal, because he couldn’t watch the game. ‘Come here, you’ve gotta watch this.’ He was pretty pissed.” |
| - The Red Bull faithful justifiably crowed about their team’s 6-1-0 all-time record against NYC FC heading into this weekend, but after the Pigeons ran the Red Bulls ragged on their home field, it’s safe to say the balance of power has shifted to The Bronx for the time being. | - The Red Bull faithful justifiably crowed about their team’s 6-1-0 all-time record against NYC FC heading into this weekend, but after the Pigeons ran the Red Bulls ragged on their home field, it’s safe to say the balance of power has shifted to The Bronx for the time being. |
| One game does not make a season, but the Red Bulls haven’t looked right all year. Perhaps due to the controversial trade of Dax McCarty to Chicago, or just to the inherent difficulty of contending year in and year out, the club has been mired in a funk for the better part of 2017. | One game does not make a season, but the Red Bulls haven’t looked right all year. Perhaps due to the controversial trade of Dax McCarty to Chicago, or just to the inherent difficulty of contending year in and year out, the club has been mired in a funk for the better part of 2017. |
| Patrick Vieira’s New York City, meanwhile, look a genuine contender. David Villa is a frontrunner for a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award, and if NYC FC are still be a tier down from Toronto and Chicago, they have all the pieces to do some serious damage this fall. | Patrick Vieira’s New York City, meanwhile, look a genuine contender. David Villa is a frontrunner for a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award, and if NYC FC are still be a tier down from Toronto and Chicago, they have all the pieces to do some serious damage this fall. |
| - Player of the week: David Accam, Chicago Fire. In case netting his first-career MLS hat-trick wasn’t enough, Accam also played the killer pass to set up Nemanja Nikolic’s goal. | - Player of the week: David Accam, Chicago Fire. In case netting his first-career MLS hat-trick wasn’t enough, Accam also played the killer pass to set up Nemanja Nikolic’s goal. |
| For so long mired on a team toward the bottom of the league standings, Accam has rarely been discussed among the most talented players in MLS. On his day, though, like during Saturday’s 4-0 rout of Orlando City, the 26-year-old Ghanaian can ball with the best of them. | For so long mired on a team toward the bottom of the league standings, Accam has rarely been discussed among the most talented players in MLS. On his day, though, like during Saturday’s 4-0 rout of Orlando City, the 26-year-old Ghanaian can ball with the best of them. |
| - Goal of the week: David Accam, Chicago Fire. All of Accam’s goals were impressive, but this one takes the cake. It’s tough to beat a good back-heel flick inside the far post. | - Goal of the week: David Accam, Chicago Fire. All of Accam’s goals were impressive, but this one takes the cake. It’s tough to beat a good back-heel flick inside the far post. |
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