Each Major League Soccer matchday in 2021, the KeyBank Scouting Report will give you a snapshot of the Portland Timbers’ next opponent. This Saturday, the Portland Timbers welcome back full capacity status to Providence Park as they host FC Dallas. Kickoff is 7:30pm PT on FOX 12 PLUS (TICKETS).
Team Form
FC Dallas currently sit in 12th place in the Western Conference with a record of 2-5-5. FC Dallas has lost its first five away matches of the 2021 season, being outscored 12-2 in those games. Most recently, they lost to the LA Galaxy 3-1 in Carson, Calif. on July 7.
The last time Portland faced Dallas, the Timbers lost 4-1 on May 1 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Tex.
Head coach Luchi Gonzalez is in his fourth season with FC Dallas having been named to the position in 2018 after leading the club's very solid academy.
In attack
With Gonzalez having previously run the team's academy, it comes as no surprise that many of the players on the team are Homegrown products. The roster features 14 Homegrown players who combined have played 2,607 minutes in 55 appearances in 2021.
In attack, 18-year old forward Ricardo Pepi leads the team with five goals. Another Homegrown, 20-year old midfielder Jesús Ferreira – son of 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira – helps marshal the midfield and currently has a team-leading three assists.
Argentine Designated Player forward Franco Jara has only two goals on the campaign but remains an option for Gonzalez's squad.
Familiar Faces
Though the Dallas roster does not feature any former Timbers players, their goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer will be very familiar to Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese and his staff. Maurer was the starting goalkeeper under Savarese when he helmed the New York Cosmos in the NASL. Maurer won back-to-back NASL championships with Savarese and currently has started nine matches for the Texas squad with one clean sheet so far in 2021.
In Defense
Dallas defender Brassan has started 11 matches for Dallas this year and has one goal on the 2021 campaign. Defender Ryan Hollingshead has played 12 career matches against Portland across his veteran career and while he's listed as a defender, head coach Luchi Gonzalez has often had him lining up in the midfield. Hollingshead has started all 12 games for the team this year and has a goal and four assists. Injuries have limited longtime Dallas defender Matt Hedges to only four games in 2021 and he is listed as out with a hip injury.
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