{"id":1550,"date":"2016-10-21T21:02:42","date_gmt":"2016-10-22T01:02:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsoccer.com\/?p=1550"},"modified":"2016-10-21T21:02:42","modified_gmt":"2016-10-22T01:02:42","slug":"fc-dallas-obstacles-supporters-shield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2016\/10\/21\/fc-dallas-obstacles-supporters-shield\/","title":{"rendered":"Obstacles Between FC Dallas and the Supporters’ Shield"},"content":{"rendered":"

FC Dallas<\/strong> enters the final week of the season leading the MLS standings by two\u00a0points, but obstacles remain in their path to the Supporters’ Shield. The Texas club regained control\u00a0of the Shield race by beating Seattle<\/a> with a dramatic 89th minute Carlos Ru\u00edz<\/strong> winner last Sunday. They trailed the Colorado Rapids<\/strong> in the standings by a lone point entering that match, but\u00a0seized full control with Sunday’s win and Colorado’s slip-up<\/a> against the Portland Timbers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Obstacles Between FC Dallas and the Supporters’ Shield<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Missing Mauro Diaz<\/h3>\n

The path to the club’s first ever regular season title is not clear\u00a0though. Playmaker, team captain and league MVP candidate\u00a0Mauro D\u00edaz<\/strong> was injured in the Seattle match and will miss the rest of the year\u00a0with a torn achilles tendon. D\u00edaz underwent a successful surgery<\/a> to repair the injury on Wednesday but his season is clearly over. D\u00edaz has\u00a0five goals and 13 assists for Dallas this season.<\/p>\n

Midfielder Kellyn Acosta<\/strong> also suffered a hip injury\u00a0and left the same match, but his injury is\u00a0less severe and he should\u00a0be healthy\u00a0for the playoffs. Regardless, FC Dallas head coach \u00d3scar Pareja<\/strong> must quickly shore-up his midfield, and figure out where the creativity will come from without\u00a0D\u00edaz in his starting XI.<\/p>\n

A Tough Road Test in LA to Close Out the Season<\/h3>\n

Another obstacle\u00a0for FC Dallas\u00a0comes in the form of\u00a0the West’s third place LA Galaxy<\/strong>.\u00a0Dallas will\u00a0travel to California\u00a0on Decision\u00a0Day\u00a0in search of a road result against Bruce Arena’s<\/strong> side. A win or a draw will guarantee FC Dallas\u00a0the Supporters’ Shield and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Galaxy will be looking for revenge, after recently losing 1-0 to FC Dallas in Frisco on October 1st.<\/p>\n

The Gal\u00e1cticos\u00a0will also be looking for a statement win against the league’s top team to show that they are still the team to beat in the West. The Colorado Rapids can\u00a0overtake\u00a0FC Dallas and claim the Supporter’s shield\u00a0if the Galaxy win, but Colorado\u00a0must defeat the Houston Dynamo<\/strong> at home Sunday to do so.<\/p>\n

Heavy Legs Due to Mid-Week CCL Action<\/h3>\n

The Texas side will be travel-weary entering the final match of the regular season. FC Dallas turned in a gritty performance on Thursday evening, defeating CD Suchitepequez<\/strong> 5-2 in Guatemala in the CONCACAF Champions League<\/strong>. FC Dallas had to get a result to gain safe passage\u00a0to the quarterfinals and they did so\u00a0with only a few regular starters in the lineup.<\/p>\n

Those starters came up big, with Carlos Gruezo<\/strong> and Matt Hedges<\/strong>\u00a0grabbing first half goals\u00a0to\u00a0equalize\u00a0after\u00a0Suchitepequez jumped out to an early two goal lead. 35-year-old Argentine midfielder Mauro Rosales <\/strong>also featured in the\u00a0FC Dallas win. Rosales\u00a0seems the most likely candidate to assume D\u00edaz’s playmaking role if Pareja opts to keep his\u00a0formation the same.<\/p>\n

FC Dallas is\u00a0one result away from earning\u00a0a\u00a0second trophy<\/a>\u00a0in what has already been a historic\u00a0season for the club. Head Coach \u00d3scar Pareja is urging his team to busca la forma<\/em>, “to find a way,” [FC Dallas]<\/a> despite the challenges they face leading up to Sunday and the MLS playoffs.<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n