FC Dallas didn’t finish the 2018 regular season the way they wanted, watching their Knockout Round bye finally slip away on Decision Day presented by AT&T. Three straight losses didn’t make for good vibes heading into the 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, which FCD open with a Knockout Round match against a tough Western Conference foe: the Portland Timbers (9:30 pm ET | UniMás, TSN, TVAS).
FCD head coach Oscar Pareja says his players are ready for the job at hand.
“What I can tell you is, this group is strong,” Pareja said. “They deserve and have the right to be in the playoffs. That’s something that nobody gave to them. They earned it. They put 57 points together this season.”
Pareja preaches that the playoffs are a clean slate for every team.
“At this stage, everybody starts at zero,” he said. “We are ready.”
His players have embraced the mantra. Even Maxi Urruti, who spent three years with the Timbers, winning the 2015 MLS Cup, couldn’t be baited into saying the usual platitudes about his old team after Tuesday’s training.
“We’re focused on ourselves in the team,” Urruti said. “We’re not thinking of anything else. We came in doing a good job. We showed that during the year. The important thing is to keep doing that.”
“We have no time to feel sorry for ourselves, no time to panic,” said midfielder Victor Ulloa. “Our season is on the line and we have to take that, motivate the group, and mentally be strong.”
FC Dallas and Portland have played to a nearly even record over the years (7-6-7 all-time), and both results this season were ties, but FCD holds a commanding 6-1-4 record overall at Toyota Stadium. The two teams have only met once in postseason play, with FC Dallas losing 5-3 on aggregate in the 2015 Conference Championship.
Adding to what projects as a close matchup, both sides favor a counter-attacking, non-possession style.
“It’ll be a hard game,” Urruti said. “Both games we played [this season], we drew. We couldn’t get a lot of differences. More than anything, the formations are similar and the style is similar as well.”
Ulloa says the little details, set pieces, and movements off the ball will be the difference.
“It comes down to being concentrated on the full game in order to get the result,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a battle for the full 90 minutes, and whoever wants it more is going to end up on top.”
One probable change for Dallas should be the return of Santiago Mosquera to the starting XI. Against a team like Portland that sit and defend deep like Dallas, Pareja knows Mosquera may be just what he needs to unlock the Timbers.
“Santi definitely has that dribbling, making the players commit to him, and has the ability to pass by them,” Pareja said. “It’s something that’s not easy to have in the team, and Santi has it.”
Despite the short turnaround from a 2-1 loss to Colorado on Sunday, Pareja says his staff can condense down the preparation and his team will be ready.
“At this stage, there is no tomorrow,” he said. “There is not another opportunity. But the players are great. They are very optimistic and excited to be in the playoffs. We can’t wait to play.”
Watch: Can FCD rebound to cut down Timbers?
