SETUP: FC Dallas vs FC Minnesota United | 2.25.23

FRISCO, Texas – FC Dallas. Is. Back.

The club will kick off the 2023 MLS season against Minnesota United this Saturday, February 25 at 7:30 pm at Toyota Stadium. Here’s everything you need to know before playing.

How to watch

Saturday’s match will be available in the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV along with all MLS matches throughout the season. The game starts at 7:39 pm and the great Mark Followill calls in along with Danielle Slaton who provides color commentary. Matches will also be available in Spanish on the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

LISTEN

English: If you are unable to watch the match, you can listen to all the action on iHeartMedia 11:90 and the FC Dallas app. Host Sam Hale will be reporting before and after the game starting at 19:00. Veteran FCD broadcasters Owen Newkirk and Steve Davis will commentate on the game, while Garrett Melser will report from outside.

Spanish language: Carlos Alvarado and Rafa Calderon will announce the game in Spanish at 12:70 starting at 19:30.

Match review

SIMULTANEOUSLY

• FKD entry: 0-0-0 (0 points – 3rd in the West)
• MIN entry: 0-0-0 (0 points – 7th in the West)
• FCD vs. MIN all time: 6-6-2 (21 scored, 19 missed)
• FCD vs MIN all time at home: 4-1-2 (14 scored, 7 missed)

STORY LINES

Estevez: Year 2

FC Dallas is starting its second season under head coach Nico Estevez. The Spaniard brought the club back to the playoffs last year, while setting the franchise record for the biggest year-over-year turnover, scoring 20 points more than in 2021. Estevez’s debut campaign was successful in almost every way. But there is still room to grow. Dallas won their first playoff game (coincidentally against Minnesota) but lost in the conference semifinals to their Austin State FC opponent. Estevez and Dallas are looking to do better this time around and make their mark in the league. First, they’ll have to take care of business in the season opener against Minnesota United.

Backline Shake

There may be a few FCD debutants on Saturday night. During the off-season, the club added seven new players and said goodbye to 11 more. But the biggest change was undoubtedly in the back line. After 11 seasons, FCD and Matt Hedges parted ways, leaving a gap in the center of defense the size of a club legend. The free agent signing of MLS champion Sebastian Ibega was Dallas’ main attempt to fill that gap, but Hedges’ boots are not easy to fill. There could also be another new face on the back line: Giovane Jesus. Dallas added the 21-year-old Brazilian back to challenge Ema Twumasi for the starting position. And it looks like Jesús may have an advantage before the start of the season (he started the last FCD preseason game in Houston). Dallas’ main strength in 2022 has been its defensive reliability. Will Estevez’s team be able to stay at this level, despite the mobility of the back line? This is a big and important question.

Raynoshow Minnesota

Coincidentally, Dallas’ first game at Toyota Stadium will be against Minnesota United, the same team it faced last October in the playoffs (the last home game in the league). However, this iteration of Minnesota is very different from the one that the FCD collapsed in the fall. Emanuel Reynoso, the Loons’ most important playmaker, was absent from the club’s pre-season training camp (due to personal reasons) and will not travel to North Texas. The absence of the Argentine makes it difficult to predict this match. Perhaps Minnesota’s attack could fail without her talisman pulling the strings, making it easier for the FCD to brush them aside. It’s also possible that the entire team is elated, with Adrian Heath’s men playing under stress from both last year’s playoff run and the absence of their teammate. We’ll have to wait and see which side of Minnesota we get. I hope Nico Estevez has foreseen all the possibilities.