FRISCO, Texas – El Capitan already has a home for the next year.
But the third installment of the FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo rivalry in 2015 has more at stake than either of the two previous games, even though the coveted 19th century Mountain Howitzer cannon is the usual prize.
If Dallas top the Dynamo on Sunday afternoon (5 pm ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes), they will clinch a playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference. If Houston win, they will thrust themselves into the playoff conversation and would sit only three points behind their fierce rivals.
“We’re in-state rivals. I think that says enough. But it will be more intense,” Dallas midfielder Victor Ulloa told MLSSoccer.com. “It’s definitely going to feel like a playoff game. It’s going to have that intensity. We know they’re coming with everything, because it’s make or break for them.”
The teams are coming in with contrasting recent fortunes. Houston have won two straight to reignite their playoff aspirations with three upcoming tests against Dallas, Seattle and Vancouver that can either sink the Dynamo's season or get them back into the playoffs after a year away.
Dallas, meanwhile, are returning home from a two-game road swing where they gave up six goals and failed to collect a single point in the standings. Yet they still remain within striking distance of the Supporters' Shield with games in hand on the other top teams in the West.
Even though they return to Frisco with a sour taste in their mouths, FCD remain optimistic about the home stretch.
“We look at all the games we have and we know we have three at home. We’re a good at home,” Ulloa said. “If we can just find a result away from home and take care of business at home, we’ll be fine and win the Supporter’s Shield.”
The team also has confidence that they will reverse their current woes on the defensive end, and they could receive a veteran boost sooner rather than later.
Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy has been practicing with the team in full this week after nursing a knee injury, which could give head coach Oscar Pareja a tough decision to make when deciding between the young but talented Jesse Gonzalez, who has struggled over the last two weeks, and the wily veteran who sports a goals against average of 1.19 over 16 starts.
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“I feel like I’m ready to go,” Kennedy told MLSSoccer.com. “Now it’s just about getting back with the team, pushing and earning that chance again.”
Though decorated through his lengthy MLS career, Kennedy has never started an MLS playoff game. But he still understands the stakes and knows how important sweeping the season series with rival Houston is for Dallas’ long-term goals.
“At this point in the season, we need these games to test ourselves,” Kennedy said. “We’re preparing for the playoffs and trying to achieve the Supporter’s Shield. So these home games are the ones we feel like we have a huge advantage in, and we need to take those three points where we can get them.”
