FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2018 MLS Regular Season – Week 12
Toyota Stadium — Frisco
May 19 - 4:00 pm ET
WATCH: CTV, TSN 1/4/5, ESPN+

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After back-to-back 2-2 draws at BC Place, including one against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, Vancouver Whitecaps FC head to Toyota Park hoping for their third road win of the season, but FC Dallas are unbeaten in six games in Frisco this season following a 3-2 win over the LA Galaxy last Saturday.

A precedent has been set for road success against FC Dallas with the Whitecaps cruising to a 4-0 victory in their last trip to Toyota Stadium on July 29, 2017. The 'Caps also picked up a win in their most recent visit to Texas, a 2-1 decision over the Houston Dynamo on March 10, 2018.

Vancouver has won two of their last four MLS matches with FC Dallas, as many wins as they had in their previous 11 meetings with them, per Opta.

FC Dallas

Oscar Pareja made a pair of changes and shifted formation from the side that tied LAFC 1-1 the week prior, with Kellyn Acosta making his first start of 2018 after sports hernia surgery and Mauro Diaz returning to the starting XI in a changed 4-2-3-1.

It was a vintage influential performances from Diaz, who set up all three goals with Maxi Urruti and Roland Lamah giving FC Dallas (4-1-4) a 2-0 halftime lead. Lamah netted his second moments after Ola Kamara pulled LA within a goal.

Reto Ziegler was sent off for his second bookable offense in the 73rd minute and Ema Boateng again sliced the Galaxy’s deficit in half 10 minutes later, but FC Dallas would hold on to earn all three points.

“Right now we have a great opportunity playing against Vancouver this weekend to get the three points,” Acosta said. “Last week was a battle, the week before that was a battle. Every game is going to be a battle. We know that at home its great that we come out that strong, positive with a lot of confidence and get the win.”

Suspended: D - Reto Ziegler
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Kris Reaves (sports hernia surgery)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Jimmy Maurer — Reggie Cannon, Matt Hedges, Maynor Figueroa, Anton Nedyalkov — Kellyn Acosta, Carlos Gruezo — Santiago Mosqueta, Mauro Diaz, Roland Lamah — Maxi Urruti

Notes: Urruti leads MLS with three goals scored from outside the box this season, as many as he had in his last three full MLS seasons combined. … Since the start of 2016, FC Dallas has won 56.9 percent of their league home matches, averaging 2.0 points per home game - the third highest of any team (min. 24 games).

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Carl Robinson made three changes to his lineup from the side that tied Houston last Friday, bringing Cristian Techera and Efrain Juarez back into the four-man midfield and partnering Yordy Reyna with Kei Kamara up top.

Techera gave Vancouver (4-5-3) the lead after 19 minutes, but Danny Hoesen leveled for San Jose in first-half stoppage time. Nick Lima put the visitors in front in the 53rd minute before Reyna leveled for the Caps 11 minutes later as Vancouver would settle for a second straight 2-2 draw at home.

“It’s challenging, but you’ve got to deal with it, you’ve got to accept it and you’ve got to embrace it and we will,” Robinson said of the challenge of a quick turnaround to face FC Dallas. “That’s why I’ll put some freshness in the team. We know it’s going to be difficult, it always is going down to Dallas. They’re a good team. So are we.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Kendall Waston
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: GK - Stefan Marinovic (left knee sprain), M - Jordon Mutch (right hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Brian Rowe — Sean Franklin, Kendall Waston, Jose Aja, Brett Levis — Bernie Ibini-Isei, Aly Ghazal, Russell Teibert, Brek Shea — Yordy Reyna, Kei Kamara

Notes: Kamara averages 20.3 duels per game this season, the third most of any player in the league. …The Whitecaps have lost their last two road games while being held scoreless in both games.

All-Time Series

Overall: FC Dallas 9 wins, 23 goals … Vancouver Whitecaps FC 5 wins, 19 goals … 4 ties
At Dallas: FC Dallas 7 wins, 14 goals … Whitecaps FC 1 win, 6 goals … 0 ties
Last meeting at Dallas: FC Dallas 0, Vancouver Whitecaps 4 (July 29, 2017)