Sporting Kansas City 0, FC Dallas 0 | 2017 MLS Match Recap

With CONCACAF Champions League play on the horizon, FC Dallas used a new-look lineup and managed to come away with a point in Saturday's road match with Sporting Kansas City. Though SKC managed to hold the lion's share of possession throughout their home opener, FC Dallas looked for the counter, and a lack of composure in the final third doomed the chances they created. FCD used their compact shape to limit quality looks, with good showings from a number of new faces.

DAL:"Personality and belief" prevail in road draw

Goals

NO GOALS

Three Things

POMYKAL'S NIGHT OF FIRSTS:
Just by stepping onto the field against SKC,
Paxton Pomykal
made the FC Dallas history books. At 17 years and 84 days old, he's the youngest player ever to start for FCD. He's also the first player to wear the no. 19 previously worn by Bobby Rhine since Rhine passed away in 2011.

The number 19 will return to an @MLS Starting XI tonight for FC Dallas. #BR19 https://t.co/LMKX8KTfR3 pic.twitter.com/sPMajItKNp
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) March 12, 2017

FC Dallas
decided to make a new tradition
for a homegrown player to wear 19 in Rhine's honor.

ZUSI CONTINUES TRANSITION: As Graham Zusi continues his transition into playing right back full time, his defensive actions on the field will come into more scrutiny. After leading the team in duels won in SKC's first match of the year, the bunkered in formation from FC Dallas allowed Zusi to push further forward. Most of Zusi's defensive actions took place along the midline.

WRESTLING FOR A CHANCE: The longer the match went on, the more physical play got with six yellow cards given in the second half. It's perhaps unsurprising then that neither team managed a shot on target from inside the penalty area after the 35th minute. There were four such chances in that early going, two from corner kicks.

Next Up

SKC: Saturday, March 18th - vs. San Jose Earthquakes (8:30pm ET | MLS LIVE)
DAL: Wednesday, March 15th - CONCACAF Champions League - vs. Pachuca (8pm ET | UDN, Facebook Live)

Josie Becker -

@JosieBeckerFC