Stories to Watch
They're the sole unbeaten side in the West, but the jury is still out on the 2018 version of FC Dallas.
It's been an up-and-down start for Óscar Pareja's men, who have a 1-0-2 record after the month of March.
Fans of FCD have seen a different performance in each of their first three matches - all at home. In their last outing, despite being up a man, they played Portland Timbers to a 1-1 draw. That came just one week after trouncing Seattle Sounders FC 3-0.
There's plenty of talent in the cupboard, and many returning faces, yet it's uncertain how this side will fare over the full 2018 schedule.
Is this group closer to the 2016 side that won two trophies, or the team that missed the 2017 playoffs altogether? Is it just a humble start, or is it a lingering hangover after an early exit from the CONCACAF Champions League?
Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure - MLS sides don't approach the trip to Frisco lightly. After all, the visitors have managed just nine wins at Toyota Stadium since the start of the 2014 season.
Two big names recently returned to training.
Kellyn Acosta, who's had lingering injuries since the middle of 2017 underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia on February 22. The diagnoses was that he would need six to eight weeks to recover. After missing the start of the MLS campaign, the midfielder returned to the training pitch on March 29.
One of the top young 'keepers in MLS, Jesse Gonzalez, also returned to training on March 29 after missing time the last four weeks due to right knee pain.
According to FCDallas.com, both could be available for Saturday's game.
Player to Watch
Roland Lamah is turning out to be a major contributor for FCD early in 2018, finding the net in back-to-back games. The midfielder, known for being dangerous in the open field and clean in front of net, was brought to Dallas in 2017 to help fill the gap left by Fabian Castillo's departure.
Despite getting off to a slow 10-game start last season, Lamah found his rhythm in the second half of 2017 scoring 11 times for his new club. This season, he picked up where he left off with a two goal, one assist performance against Seattle. The Ivorian's scoring streak continued a week later as he secured Dallas' lone goal against Portland on March 24.
Given his success so far in 2018, and because Pareja has started the same lineup in back-to-back games, expect to see Lamah start in the midfield against the Rapids.
FC Dallas vs Colorado Rapids - Recent Form
FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids have faced one another 70 times for a 22-32-16 overall record. Since 2014, the two sides faced one another in eight tightly-contested MLS games (2-1-5). Their most recent meeting came on October 7, 2017, when Stefan Aigner scored his second MLS goal before splitting points with FCD at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. Earlier in the year, the Rapids recorded a 2-0 loss on September 27 and a 0-0 draw on August 12, both at Toyota Stadium.
More notably, FC Dallas still has open wounds from the last time the Rapids walked away with three-points at Toyota Stadium when the Rapids destroyed the league leaders’ 19-game unbeaten at home streak on September 10, 2016.
- Overall: Colorado 22 wins, 85 goals | Dallas 32 wins, 109 goals | 16 ties
- At Dallas: Colorado 8 wins, 38 goals | Dallas 23 wins, 64 goals | 5 ties
- Last meeting:Colorado 1, Dallas 1 (October 7, 2017)
