FRISCO, Texas—The growing process FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja made a priority since taking the helm in 2014 is within reach of its highest peak.
Pareja came to Dallas focused on developing a potent academy system to groom players in the club's backyard. Now, the second-year coach is leaning on that young talent with the team set to join the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs during Sunday's Western Conference Semifinal against the Seattle Sounders (9:30pm ET, FS1 in US | TSN2 in Canada | MLS LIVE), a rematch of last season's defeat via away goals tiebreaker.
“The results show us that they’re growing and that they’re getting better at things we didn’t do well last year,” Pareja said. “We’re learning how to get points away, and sometimes we have identified when the came cannot be played pretty and we’ve had to get things done and be flexible, and also [be] dynamic with the evolution of the team. All these things are part of the development.”
If midfielder Kellyn Acosta returns from injury, as Pareja indicated was likely this week, Dallas could open the postseason three homegrown players age 23 or younger. In Dallas’ typical starting XI when running their expected 4-2-3-1, nine players are younger than 26, with only Zach Loyd (28) and Je-Vaughn Watson (32) above the cutoff.
While young, FC Dallas’ core has played in big games. Many contributed in last season’s MLS playoff run, and others (notably recent Colombia callup Fabian Castillo) have made high-level national team contributions.
“The experience that we got last year playing the game against Vancouver at home then the series with Seattle, I think that’s going to help us a lot,” said midfielder Victor Ulloa. “We have almost the same base as last year, so we definitely know what to expect. We’re at a better position, and we know we’re good at home. So if we can get a good result away on the road, we know we can take care of business at home.”
Dallas’ veterans, who have been praised by the team for their leadership, feel that age is truly only a number for this year’s team. Loyd said that, after clinching a playoff berth, this team is more in sync than they were at the same point last season. Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, who is making only the third playoff appearance of an 8-season MLS career, has been impressed with the way these youngsters handle their business.
“We are a young team, but the young guys are extremely focused, and a lot of them have a good amount of experience under their belt,” Kennedy said. “So there’s not much we have to do [as veterans]: just make sure we’re out here competing and making these little games [in training] matter. Everyone should be pissed off when they lose on the training field as much as we are when we’re in a real game.”
- Get more FCD news at FCDallas.com
Dallas has also been tested heading into the playoffs, with meaningful game after meaningful game during the regular-season stretch run. The whole club has, at one point or another, mentioned they are in "playoff mode" after playing a home and away series with Vancouver at the beginning of October, followed by two games during which Dallas was competing for the Supporters’ Shield and home-field advantage all the way through MLS Cup; the finale came against a San Jose team fighting for their playoff lives (Dallas had already clinched the West's No. 1 seed.)
The intensity will only grow if Dallas advances past Seattle, and Pareja believes his squad has learned how to deal with it.
“I measure the capacity for this team and the talent of this team to bounce back from adversities, and then I do really think that has been the case this year,” Pareja said. “There have been some stretches where the ball didn’t bounce our way, and we still showed a lot of character. That’s remarkable.”
