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CCL Rewind: FC Dallas slips up, Whitecaps win again

Photo by Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports
Photo by Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports

FC Dallas’ hopes of qualifying to the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals remain up in the air, but the Vancouver Whitecaps managed to secure a top-three seed on Wednesday night.

A rotated Dallas side had to settle for a 0-0 draw with Suchitepequez at home, keeping the Hoops tied with the Guatemalan side for the top spot in Group H on five points. Oscar Pareja’s side can still advance to the quarterfinals with a win or score draw in Guatemala City on Oct. 20.

Meanwhile, the Whitecaps finished their group stage campaign with a perfect 4-0-0 record after pummeling Central FC of Trinidad & Tobago, 4-1, at BC Place. Cristian Techera scored twice to move level with Pachuca’s Hirving Lozano in the Golden Boot race with five goals apiece.

Here is a closer look at Wednesday’s action:

FC Dallas held to scoreless draw with Suchitepequez

The Supporters’ Shield leaders heavily outshot their Guatemalan counterparts on Wednesday night, but they still could not find the back of the net in a 0-0 draw at Toyota Stadium on Wednesday night.

Dallas recorded a whopping 27 shots, with the two best opportunities of the night falling to Guatemala’s own Carlos Ruiz. After striking the bar in the 58th minute, Ruiz had a shot cleared off the line by defender Erwin Morales right before stoppage time.

It was a wild finish to the game, which also saw both sides reduced to 10 players in second-half stoppage time after Aubrey Davis and Amaury Escoto received red cards.

Dallas now has a dilemma. The return game on Oct. 20 in Guatemala City will take place four days after the team’s match versus the Seattle Sounders. The Texan side then finishes its regular season at the LA Galaxy the following Saturday. Both matches could be crucial to the Hoops’ Supporters’ Shield hopes, but it also needs a result on the road to progress to the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Whitecaps finish CCL group stage with perfect record

Unlike their MLS form, the Vancouver Whitecaps have thrived in the CONCACAF Champions League.

The Canadian side already clinched first place in Group C and a spot in the quarterfinals heading into its home match against Central FC. Not only did the Whitecaps win 4-1, they also secured a top-three seed in the quarters.

Cristian Techera continued his strong CCL campaign with two more goals, pulling him level with Pachuca’s Hirving Lozano in the Golden Boot race. The Mexican club, along with Panama’s Arabe Unido have a chance to secure a top seed with Vancouver if both teams win their final match of the group stage.

Comments

  1. FCD trying to be the first MLS club to win the Treble and get eliminated from the CCL group stage w/o playing a Mexican team #Pontalaforma

    Reply
    • I’m a big supporter of MLS clubs doing their best in CCL, and really wish the tournament (much like the Open Cup) got more attention, but at this point I would say Dallas should be concentrating on SS. If they get into the next round with their second squad then good on them, but wrapping up the SS gets them another chance at CCL next year (as well as the Garber bucks that go along with it).

      Reply
      • Makes perfect sense. Sacrifice advancing in the CCL so you can win the SS and get into next year’s CCL. It’s a perfect FCDentipede. All joking aside, they already won the USOC, so they are in next year’s CCL regardless

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