October 29, 1997. Jorge Rodriguez scores from the spot to hand Dallas Burn a 5-3 penalty shootout victory in the U.S. Open Cup, securing the club their first ever major honour. Although, it would be a long wait before the club’s eager fans tasted victory once again.
Close to two decades, in fact. However, after enduring a major rebranding, stadium downgrade and heartbreak in the 2010 MLS Cup final, FC Dallas now stand on the brink of becoming the first Major League Soccer team to win a domestic treble.
After coming agonisingly close in the MLS Cup last season, 2016 has been kinder to the club. A flawless pre-season was a taste of what was to come, as Oscar Pareja’s side raced ahead in the league. Despite a blip towards the back end of April, in which FC Dallas suffered three consecutive losses in the league, they recovered quickly enough to maintain their place at the top of the Western Conference.
With a place in the MLS Cup playoffs already secured, a 2-1 victory over Seattle Sounders earlier this month took their tally to 59 points, which confirmed that they would finish with a better tally that Eastern Conference champions New York Red Bulls, therefore handing them the Supporters’ Shield - their second honour of the 2016 season.
By then, they had already claimed the U.S. Open Cup with a 4-2 victory over New England Revolution, which now leaves just one prize left to play for if FC Dallas are to do what no MLS side has done before.
With potential clashes against the likes of Colorado Rapids, New York Red Bulls and New York City FC, claiming the domestic treble will be no easy task. Yet, it isn’t impossible. Winning the Supporters Shield effectively confirmed FC Dallas to be the 2016 season’s best team. How Pareja’s side deals with that honour will be a deciding factor in whether they can go all the way over the next few months.
Many sides would crack under the pressure, but FC Dallas have already proved this season that they can cope in the biggest games. With victories over the likes of Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City and Colorado Rapids already this season, they will go into the playoffs knowing that they can produce a win over any side on their day.
Of course, the play-offs are all about scoring goals. FC Dallas don’t possess a player like New York Red Bulls’ Bradley Wright-Phillips (24 goals this season), or NYC FC’s David VIlla (23), but they do have an array of attacking players that can singlehandedly determine the outcome of a game on their day. With an attacking trio of Mauro Diaz, Michael Barrios and Maximiliano Urruti, who have 28 goals and 22 assists between them this season, Pareja will be confident that his side can match any team in the goalscoring department.
However, there is a reason why no side has achieved such an incredible feat in MLS’ 23 year history. It has been a long, tough season for FC Dallas and there will be some tired legs out there as the MLS Cup playoffs drag on. Even if they aren’t able to secure the final prize, it has been a fantastic season for FC Dallas and 2016 will serve as a great platform for the club to build on in the years to come.