You can do it once, but can you do it again?
FC Dallas reminded fans it can win soccer matches, scoring a 1-0 victory against Real Salt Lake last week. But it will be all the sweeter if FCD can turn that victory into a winning streak, especially after coming out of the June international break with a seven-match winless skid.
It meets a direct rival in the Western Conference playoff hunt in the LA Galaxy, a team that ended a slump of its own and is feeling hopeful about its chances to make a surge in the last third of the season and do some damage in the postseason.
Here's everything you need to know about both teams ahead of Saturday's matchup:
Kickoff
8 pm CT, Saturday, July 30, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas
How to watch
The match will be televised on TXA21 in English. Those watching inside the TV market also can stream the game on FCDallas.com/Stream, while those outside the market can find the match on ESPN+.
How to listen
The game can be heard at FCDallas.com/Radio in English and on TUDN Radio Dallas 1270 AM in Spanish.
Records
FCD: 8W-6L-8D (32 points, 5th in Western Conference); LAG: 9W-9L-3D (30 points, 7th in Western Conference)
Last time out
FCD snapped a seven-match winless run by protecting a first-half Jesus Ferreira goal for a 1-0 win against Real Salt Lake; The Galaxy put an end to a three-game losing run with a 2-0 win against Atlanta United.
Projected lineups
FC Dallas (4-3-3): Maarten Paes; Ema Twumasi, Matt Hedges, Jose Martinez, Marco Farfan; Paxton Pomykal, Facundo Quignon, Brandon Servania; Paul Arriola, Jesus Ferreira, Alan Velasco
LAG: (4-4-2): Jonathan Bond; Julian Araujo, Eriq Zavaleta, Derrick Williams, Chase Gasper; Douglas Costa, Gaston Brugman, Mark Delgado, Rayan Raveloson; Chicharito, Kevin Cabral
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FCD: Jesus Ferreira, forward — FCD's starting forward absolutely has been a threat in front of goal in nearly every match this season. The last time he scored in consecutive games, however, was back in the spring when he followed a goal at Sporting Kansas City on April 30 with another against the Seattle Sounders on May 5. He then played in the U.S. Open Cup without scoring before his double against the LA Galaxy on May 14.
Ferreira has a chance to go back-to-back this weekend after his very slick goal last week against Real Salt Lake. And FCD is hoping he will. Manager Nico Estévez said after the RSL win that he's enjoying Ferreira's good form, of course, but still expects more.
Against a Galaxy defense that he's already exploited once this season, he may be able to give the manager just that.
LA: Julian Araujo, right back — The season held a lot of potential for Araujo, the Galaxy homegrown product who accepted a call-up to the Mexico senior national team and put himself in the picture for El Tri's 2022 World Cup roster. The 20-year-old was named an MLS All-Star and remains in frame for Tata Martino, but he's still vulnerable in one v. one situations.
FCD winger Alan Velasco is still working on his consistency this season, but he could pose a difficult matchup for Araujo if FCD is able to get him involved. It will be up to the defender to rise to the occasion and keep FCD's Argentine attacker quiet.
KEY MATCHUP: Matt Hedges vs. Dejan Joveljic
They held firm last week against Real Salt Lake, but fans won't believe FCD's late-game struggles are behind them until they close out a string of games. That's why stopping the LA Galaxy's supersub forward Dejan Joveljic when he gets into the match will be key.
The forward has five goals in the last six games, all in the 45th minute or later. The Striker's Mike Gray set out the case this week that "The Serbian Dagger" is best off the bench.
He certainly could be effective against an FCD back line that too often has conceded soft goals late. It will be on center back Matt Hedges to keep the rest of the back line engaged, in the right place and keep Joveljic and the rest of the Galaxy from taking advantage of what has been the team's weakest point.
FOR THE WIN: Take advantage of the defensive weaknesses — and don't show your own
The Galaxy only has allowed two more goals than FCD, but when the holes in the back line show, they really show.
FCD knows that well from its last meeting against the Galaxy, when Jesus Ferreira scored twice and Paul Arriola scored once and FCD had a 3-0 lead on Greg Vanney's squad at the half.
FCD's style of play has resulted in plenty of early leads — advantages that the team often then fails to preserve. If that attacking talent is able to give the team an advantage, it needs to protect it. A win Saturday essentially sets the ship right ahead of a tough road swing in the Pacific Northwest. Any other result and that playoff line looks uncomfortably close.