FC Dallas to pick up back-to-back wins
Jamie Lamor Thompson / Shutterstock.com
FC Dallas travel to Los Angeles on Wednesday night to play Western Conference rivals the LA Galaxy. Dallas go into the fixture unbeaten in their last four matches, and a win will give the Hoops back-to-back victories for the second time this season. The Galaxy have won two straight, but the victories have come following a run of four straight losses.
Oscar Pareja has led Dallas to 20 points from a possible 33 this term. The club has been picking up points at nearly every turn and the Hoops have suffered defeat just once. That defeat came at the hands of New York City FC in April. The loss in New York is the only blemish on Dallas' otherwise sparkling record. Pareja's squad has picked up seven of 12 points on the road while posting a zero-goal difference.
Of the teams currently in the Western Conference playoff places, Dallas has registered the fewest goals scored. The Hoops have tallied a mere 17 goals and average 1.5 per match. Maximiliano Urruti leads the Hoops in scores with six. The tally places him joint-seventh in Major League Soccer in scoring. Midfielder Roland Lamah has added five strikes for Dallas, but outside of he and Urruti, Dallas has struggled to get goals.
The squad's defence has allowed 11 goals thus far, which is the fewest in the Western Conference. Goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer appeared in Dallas' first 10 matches of the season. Signed in the offseason on a permanent deal, Maurer played his way into the Dallas starting XI. He kept three clean sheets; however, Pareja benched the goalkeeper following a 2-2 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps on May 19. Jesse Gonzalez started for the first time against Toronto last weekend and kept a clean sheet against the reigning MLS Champions. There could be issues around which goalkeeper Pareja starts on Wednesday night, especially with Gonzalez being linked with a transfer to Chivas de Guadalajara.
The Galaxy have picked up back-to-back 1-0 wins and go into their midweek fixture one point behind the final playoff place. Since Zlatan Ibrahimovic's debut on March 31, the Galaxy have won just four times in eight matches, however, the Swede was only on the pitch for two of the games.
Ibrahimovic has scored three goals in eight appearances. However, two of them came in his debut. His addition hasn't been the positive move that many felt it would be. That could be down to the Galaxy's penchant to sign well-known players rather than build a solid XI.
The Swede hasn't scored since April 14 against the Chicago Fire and his frustrations are growing in LA. He received a straight red card against Montreal Impact on May 21 after slapping Michael Petrasso in the first half. Ibrahimovic is also lashing out at teammates publicly with his statements to the press. The team has won with him off the pitch in the last two matches. Perhaps starting him on the bench will help Sigi Schmid's team.
Whether Ibrahimovic plays or not, Dallas are the better side. Pareja's team will get all three points against the so-so Galaxy and continue its good form this MLS season.
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