FRISCO, Texas – The goalscoring hasn’t been the only thing that improved after FC Dallas returned from their treacherous – and mostly unsuccessful – five-game road swing.
Before Dallas came home, they had given up at least three goals in a game four times this season, including two 4-0 losses, and also gave up six goals in a US Open Cup loss to Kansas City at the beginning of July.
Dallas aren't the stingiest defense in the West across the season, but there has been a noticable uptick in their form on that side of the ball in recent weeks. Dating back to the late June day when Toyota Stadium hosted the home squad for the first time in six weeks, Dallas have only allowed one goal in MLS play.
That one goal? An own goal last week that caromed off Matt Hedges’ foot.
“In this league, it’s about finding a way for everyone to work together,” goalkeeper Dan Kennedy told MLSsoccer.com. “And we’ve just kinda gotten into this groove where collectively as a group, we’re defending really well.”
Kennedy, who took over in goal eight weeks into the season, has led the defensive surge by setting an MLS season-high mark of 349 minutes without allowing a goal before last week’s own goal.
One of the reasons Dallas have found their groove in the back third is consistency in the lineup. Since settling in again at home, Dallas have started at least three of the same four defenders in each match, with the lone exception being midfielder Ryan Hollingshead stepping in for Je-Vaughn Watson, who is away at the Gold Cup for Jamaica – a move that has impressed his ‘keeper.
“I think they’re getting comfortable together,” Kennedy said. “I think Ryan has to be given a lot of credit because he just steps in at left back in Major League Soccer like it’s not a big deal, and he does it seamlessly. We’re lucky that we have plenty of guys on the team that can do that, and we’re better for it.”
Hollingshead was one of many players that saw the club’s 6-2 Open Cup loss to Sporting Kansas City as a wake-up call, especially considering four of the six goals came off of set pieces.
But according to head coach Oscar Pareja, his club has responded valiantly since that match.
“It was one of those departments where we were struggling, especially when we came back from Kansas City in the [US Open] Cup game,” Pareja said. “That’s what makes me even happier for these guys, because we committed to just get better after that result. And they got better.”
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The road does get any easier for the Dallas backline, however. Three of Dallas’ next five opponents are current Western Conference playoff teams, one of which, the LA Galaxy, are leading MLS by a landslide in goals scored with 36.
So even though they set a league season-high mark in consecutive shutout minutes, Dallas' number one priority is still holding onto their spot atop the Supporters' Shield Race, a status that will be put to the test against the Portland Timbers on Saturday (9 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
“We’re not so much concerned about the record than we are winning games,” Kennedy said. “We’ll be shooting for another shutout against Portland on Saturday. And with the way the guys are working, there’s no reason why we can’t get it.”
“Hopefully it’s our turn to take it to them,” Kennedy added, referencing FCD’s 3-1 loss in April. “We’re in a good way, so we need to ride this train.”
