SEATTLE — Welcome back to Keeping Score: Your complete FC Dallas match day experience.
FC Dallas has only won once in Seattle – back in 2011. Seattle Sounders held a 16-game unbeaten streak at home against FC Dallas, the longest active streak against a single opponent in the MLS. Seattle has been on a bit of a snide, however, being held scoreless in six of their last 10 matches. FC Dallas' last win over Seattle came in a 2-0 home match in 2022.
Here's how it played out in the Pacific Northwest:
Seattle controlled most of the first half and struck the scoreboard first. A cross played into the box intended for Cristian Roldan was knocked in by Sam Junqua for an own goal in the 32nd minute.
Despite the first half struggles though, Bernard Kamungo took advantage of a moment and finished a diving header to level it, 1-1, just minutes before the halftime whistle. Sebastian Lletget got the assist on the Kamungo goal, his third assist of the season. As pointed out by FC Dallas reporter Garrett Melcer, Kamungo's three goals this season have come against the top-tier teams in the West: a game-winner against No. 3 seed Real Salt Lake, a game-winner against No. 2 seed LAFC and the game-tying goal here against Seattle, who lie fourth in the conference.
Maarten Paes showed once again why he's a snub for the MLS All-Star Game with a massive save on a point blank header by Jordan Morris in the 77th minute.
FC Dallas had one final scare: a screaming right-footed shot from outside the box by Obed Vargas, but the shot barely missed the top right corner. Hard-earned point on the road by FCD.
Frisco Foodie Fun
Nothing this week with the away match. Check out the new mid-season additions though!
Here's my breakdown of the Toyota Stadium new concession rankings this season:
- Hot Chicken Mac N Cheese
- Double Patty Cherry Pepper Relish Burger.
- Double Stack Quesadilla
- Jerk Chicken Wings
- Funnel sticks with cherry sauce
- Monster Taco
- Elote on a stick
- Vegan tenders
- Birria Grilled Cheese
#DTID Man of the Match
Maarten Paes.
Paes continues to show up for FC Dallas time and time again. There were a few moments that could have turned the tide for the Sounders, but tremendous saves by Paes kept the match within reaching the road point.
What they said
Head Coach Nico Estévez
On the result and tonight's performance…
“This was an important week for us returning to identity and style of play. We want to be the team that, when we don’t have the ball, we fight, battle and press and help each other. And when we have the ball, we want to be brave from the back and have the control of the possession to get to the opponent’s box. We did well in some areas but in the second half I wasn’t happy with how we didn’t control possession and create chances. We have to improve but in the first half at least we did a better job. This week, getting back to who we are and our identity, we did a decent job in those areas and I’m glad we got the point.
On the importance of the draw before breaking for Leagues Cup…
“After having two bad results against DC United and Colorado, you could think that the team may have a lack of confidence but I think they responded really well. They said ‘Okay, this happened, we need to respond and go for it.’ And this is what we saw during the best minutes of the game when we had that control and aggression to score. It’s important that the team responded playing away. We knew it was going to be a hard game and we know how difficult it is to score in set pieces and other areas. The effort the team put in at the end of the game, especially the last 10 minutes to keep the result, it was really good and reminded me what we can do when playing away. From here, we can build for the future and come back stronger when MLS resumes.”
On Bernard Kamungo's big-game abilities…
“He is a player that competes well and you can see that he's always willing to score, when a player is always willing to score, he gets into greater sports and it makes him have the opportunities and the chances to do it. I think he is a player that has a special motivation when he plays and I don't think it is just against the big teams. He had a period to grow and to get confidence and then from there. We can keep helping him to be a better player.”
Goalkeeper Maarten Paes
On the importance of getting a result on the road…
“It’s very important for the mentality that we have on the road. It’s unlucky to concede a goal but it’s important to get a point on the road after a rough stretch that we’ve had. It gives us a lot of confidence heading into Leagues Cup.”
On his performance tonight…
“It’s been a tough week for me because I lost my grandfather this week. I had to put the emotions away, but after the game I was emotional. I dedicate this game and performance tonight to him.”
On Bernard Kamungo’s goal…
“It was a special goal, it was a great cross from Sebastian (Lletget). It reminded me of Robin van Persie’s goal in the 2014 World Cup. A great header and a great cross. It was great scoring after conceding an own goal.
Forward Bernard Kamungo
On his game-tying goal…
“It was just one of those, you got to feel it as a player and I had a feeling to make a run into the box. I saw it right when Sebastian (Lletget) got the ball. I felt that this was my opportunity to score and change the game. Seb got the ball and I was wide open in the box and he curled a cross in and I managed to get the goal off that. It was a team goal. I wasn’t the only one who played a part in the goal.”
On rising to the occasion and scoring against some of the best teams in MLS…
“Well, I just don't think about it, it is just one of those when you're given an opportunity to play, you just got to show everybody and make sure you perform at your best. I just want to help the team that's what I try to do.”
On his goal celebration of pointing to his head…
“It was actually my brother who told me to do that celebration. I’m not the one who came up with the idea, it was my brother but I love it. Everybody around here loves it.”
Defender Sam Junqua
What happened on the Sounders goal…
"They put it in a good spot. I had to challenge for it. If I didn’t, he was going to get it. There was a little push and it was an awkward one and, unfortunately, it ended up in the back the goal instead of out for a corner."
On carrying momentum into Leagues Cup…
"It was really important, going in Leagues Cup but also finishing off the stretch of MLS games on a good note because I think that, at times, the results haven’t been results that we have been proud of and I think this is one that we can we can be proud of: a well-earned road point in a tough place to play."
Injury update
- Tarik Scott (season-ending injury)
- Amet Korca (concussion)
- Jesús Jiménez (ankle)
- Marco Farfan (illness)
- Ema Twumasi (ankle)
- Paxton Pomykal (thigh)
What's next/8 ball prediction
FC Dallas is off from MLS play until late August. In the meantime, they'll be competing in the Leagues Cup, with their first group match against Charlotte FC on Friday, July 21.
"8 ball" bold prediction tracker:
At the beginning of the season, I said FC Dallas would have three players score 12-plus goals this season: Jesus Ferreira, Paul Arriola and Alan Velasco.
- Ferreira: 10/12
- Arriola: 0/12
- Velasco: 2/12
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