2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 14
FC Dallas vs. Orlando City SC
Toyota Stadium – Frisco
September 27– 8:30 PM ET
STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US
LOCAL TV: FOX Sports Southwest, FOX 35 Plus
Oscar Pareja returns to Frisco for the first time since stepping down as FC Dallas coach when red-hot Orlando City SC meet FCD at Toyota Stadium Sunday night.
FC Dallas (5W-3L-4D) had a three-match winning streak snapped with a 1-0 loss to Atlanta United Wednesday, while Orlando (7W-2L-4D) moved into second place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City, the Lions fifth win in a seven-match unbeaten streak.
Pareja spent 18 years as a player, coach and manager at FC Dallas. He stepped down after the 2018 season to manage Club Tijuana in Liga MX.
FC Dallas
A three-match winning streak was snapped Wednesday night with a 1-0 loss to Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Jeff Larentowicz scored the lone goal from the penalty spot after defender Matt Hedges was penalized for a handball in his own box following a Video Review.
"We have to be disappointed to concede that goal, but at the end of the day we have to look at the game overall," Luchi Gonzalez said. "We tried to do work on some things with our press, we were aggressive, I thought we were good to force them to play some long balls. We have to do better to win more second balls in the midfield. we were missing that kind of personnel, but I liked that we got on the ball and tried to possess and tried to play, we played through the lines."
FC Dallas will receive solidarity payment as part of Weston McKennie's transfer from Schalke to Juventus, sources tell MLSsoccer.com.
Per FIFA guidelines, training compensation is paid to clubs when their academy product signs a first professional contract with a foreign club prior to the end of the season of the player's 23rd birthday. Solidarity payments are made when that player is subsequently transferred – at any age – between clubs in different countries and a transfer fee is involved.
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Paxton Pomykal (M) - hip injury
- OUT: Kyle Zobeck (GK) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: None
Orlando City SC
Goals two minutes apart by Tesho Akindele and Benji Michel late in the first half helped lead Orlando City SC to a 2-1 win over Sporting KC Wednesday night. And now, with an unbeaten streak of seven, Pareja returns home for what should be an emotional reunion.
“(I can’t) ignore the fact that I’m coming to the place where I spent most of my life and career as a player and coach," Pareja said. "It’s also a place where my kids were born, and the place where I have such great ties with friends, family, the community, the club and even the players there. So, it is special, yes. But at the end of the day, it’s a game that comes just like the next one. We’re trying to prepare and do the same as we have done. But the reality is that it’s special to be back to Dallas and face FC Dallas, of course.”
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Dom Dwyer (F) - knee injury
- OUT: Joao Moutinho (D) - groin injury
- OUT: Uri Rosell (M) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: Joao Moutinho (D)
- International duty: None
Series Matchup at FC Dallas
- FC Dallas: 2 wins, 6 goals
- Orlando City: 0 wins, 0 goals
- 0 draws
Officials
- Referee: Ramy Touchan
- Assistant Referees: Adam Garner, Brian Poeschel
- 4th Official: Elijio Arreguin
- VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
