Dallas are in danger of losing three successive MLS matches in the regular season for the first time since 2021, as they host the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday at Toyota Stadium.
A week ago, the Toros suffered their second consecutive defeat in this competition, losing 2-1 versus the New York Red Bulls, while Vancouver claimed their first victory of 2024, beating the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0.
Match preview
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After a solid opening to the season, claiming a narrow 2-1 victory versus the Quakes on matchday one, Dallas enter this game in a bit of a slump.
Nico Estevez's side have struggled defensively in recent outings, conceding multiple goals in their previous two defeats, the first time they have done so in the MLS regular season since allowing four goals in two games from late August to early September 2023.
In all three of their 2024 regular season fixtures, the Toros have conceded the opening goal, while they have only drawn first blood in one of their previous nine matches played in this competition, dating back to last year.
Injuries have undoubtedly contributed to their early-season struggles, and they are still getting accustomed to playing out from the back with plenty of new faces on the defensive side.
Estevez has not lost consecutive regular season home fixtures since May 2022 (two), as this side followed up every MLS defeat at Toyota Stadium last year with a victory in each of their subsequent domestic encounters played in Frisco.
On matchday 13 of the 2023 domestic campaign, the Toros ended a seven-match winless run versus Vancouver in this competition, claiming a 2-1 triumph at Toyota Stadium, their first against the Caps since 2018.
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Even without Vanni Sartini again last weekend, the Whitecaps took care of business in San Jose, claiming their first victory at PayPal Park since the 2018 MLS season.
Sartini will be suspended for four more encounters, but they are doing just fine without him, claiming four points from their two domestic games this year, their best start to a regular season since 2021 (four points in two contests).
Should they avoid defeat on Saturday, it would mark the first time this side would go undefeated in their first three MLS affairs since 2014, when they claimed at least a point in their opening four league fixtures.
Vancouver have scored in nine straight away contests domestically, picking up a point or more on seven of those occasions dating back to the previous campaign.
The Caps are unbeaten in eight successive regular-season contests when they have netted multiple times and have not lost away from home when doing so since August 2022 (3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy).
They have collected at least a point in five of their previous six visits to Toyota Stadium while netting multiple times in five of those outings.
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Team News
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The Toros were missing Alan Velasco last weekend along with Paxton Pomykal due to knee issues, Amet Korca has a sore left groin and Geovane Jesus is once again a question mark because of a right knee injury.
Asier Illarramendi has an adductor strain, Sebastien Ibeagha is dealing a sore calf and Marco Farfan is unlikely to feature because of a lower back injury.
Last weekend Jesus Ferreira started for the first time in the 2024 MLS campaign, replacing Logan Farrington and scoring his first of the season.
Sam Adekugbe remains sidelined for Vancouver with a knee injury, while Mathias Laborda made his first appearance of the season, having missed the opening game versus Charlotte FC through suspension (1-1).
On Tuesday, the club acquired Ralph Priso from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for two first-round selections and their natural third-round choice in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft along with General Allocation Money (GAM).
Alessandro Schopf thumped home a brilliant long-range effort in San Jose last weekend, Ali Ahmed scored an insurance marker four minutes before the 90 and Yohei Takaoka made two stops to collect his first clean sheet of 2024.
Dallas possible starting lineup:
Paes; Twusami, Tafari, Junqua; Arriola, Delgado, Lletget, Sealy; Ferreira, Kamungo; Musa
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Takaoka; Laborda, Veselinovic, Blackmon; Brown, Vite, Cubas, Picault; Gauld, Kreilach; White
We say: Dallas 0-1 Vancouver Whitecaps
The Caps always seem to play well in Frisco, and given the fact they have a relatively healthy squad, who are a lot more familiar with each other, we are leaning towards them claiming another three points away from home.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
