September 21, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Orlando Metropolis midfielder Facundo Torres (10) dribbles the ball whereas Columbus Crew defender Andres Herrera (2) in Decrease. com pitch for protection. Necessary Credit score: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Photos Orlando Metropolis can clinch a playoff spot with a win over host Dallas on Saturday night time in Frisco, Texas.
Orlando Metropolis (12 wins, 11 attracts, 7 losses, 43 factors) ranks fifth within the Japanese Convention, with a file of 8 wins, 3 attracts and 1 loss previously 12 video games. That they had received three video games in a row – all with clear sheets – earlier than dropping 4-3 to the Columbus Crew final Saturday.
Orlando Metropolis head coach Oscar Pareja returns to North Texas after teaching Dallas from 2014-18.
“It is all the time good to return to a spot you have been for thus a few years… (Dallas) holds a particular place in (my) coronary heart,” stated Pareja, who led Dallas to the Supporters’ Defend and U.S. Open titles in 2016.
That stated, Pareja’s important objective on Saturday is to lock down a playoff spot.
“I understand … how necessary it’s for us to have the ability to compete, go on the market with our crew and acquire these three factors,” he stated.
Luis Muriel got here on within the 58th minute and scored twice for Orlando towards Columbus, his first objective in almost three months. Facundo Torres leads the crew with 12 objectives, having scored 4 within the three video games earlier than dropping to Crewe.
In the meantime, FC Dallas (10 wins, 13 attracts, 7 losses, 37 factors) is simply 5 factors away from the ninth and remaining playoff spot within the Western Convention with 4 video games remaining. On Saturday, they defeated Los Angeles FC 3-1, ending a 0-2-1 winless streak.
A loss would not knock Dallas out of playoff rivalry, however time is working out.
In line with the “Dallas Morning Information”, Dallas ahead Petar Moussa stated: “Since I obtained right here, our objectives have been clear, we wish to make the playoffs, we wish to combat to win a championship, and that is What we got down to do.
Moussa, who scored within the win over Los Angeles FC, has been certainly one of Dallas’ prime performers in 2024, scoring a team-high 15 objectives in 27 video games.
“Petar is just not very talkative within the locker room. He has a quiet character, however he leads by instance,” interim head coach Peter Lusin stated.
“Everybody on the crew respects his maturity {and professional} method.”
–Scene-level media
