USA-A Moment of Magic From Diaz Extends Unbeaten Run But Still Questions Need Answering In Dallas

FC Dallas 1-Colorado Rapids 1

Colorado were the visitors on a bitterly cold evening in Frisco. Appropriately for the visit of Colorado, famous for its craft beer, it was National Beer Day on Saturday, and fans would have needed a few cans at the tailgate to help enjoy what was a very flat first half. Anthony Hudson’s team came with a game-plan to soak up any pressure by playing a back-5, and they weren’t going to make it easy, or pretty, for Dallas. They hope to hit on the break and get a smash-and-grab win, and they were minutes away from pulling off their plan perfectly.

Dallas enjoyed the best of the possession in the first-half. Roland LAmah was enjoying finding space getting in behind rapids full-back Kip Colvey, but wasn’t clinical with balls in the box. Diaz twice found himself on the edge of the box in a goal-scoring opportunity but both times dragged his shot wide. The closest FCD came was a run from Nedyalkov, cutting in from the left and firing straight at Tim Howard.

In the second half Dallas again dominated possession but were unable to force a way through the Rapids very well drilled defense. And then on the hour-mark Matt Hedges failed to deal with a long ball from the back. The ball fell to Badji who fed it through to Joe Mason, and the Englishman slotted home a shot that deflected off a desperate lunging tackle from Ziegler past Maurer. It was a tough break for Muarer who had kept Dallas level at the break with a brilliant save, and later made a fine save from a long-range effort from Blomberg.

Oscar Pareja responded to the goal with some attacking changes. Despite Lamah looking capable off opening up Rapids on the left, Santiago Mosquera came on pushing Lamah into the center, but both struggled to have much impact. Colmán also came on to add extra fire-power up top. Everything seemed to go through Michael Barrios, who made a beautiful Cruyff-style turn in the box passed the defender, but no-one could get onto the end of his cross.

It just didn’t look like it was going to be Dallas’s night. Then with two minutes to go, Mauro Diaz, who had been quiet for most of the second half, produced a sublime moment of quality. Finding space just inside the Rapids half, Diaz spotted the run from Colmán and sailed a perfect ball from 50-yards onto the head of Colmán who nodded it past Tim Howard into the left-corner.

The point means that Dallas, despite being the only unbeaten team along with NYFC left in the MLS, have a total of 6 points from these opening four home games. This is still a team with a number of questions still to be answered. If FCD are going to improve they need to start creating better chances. Urruti had a typical hard-working display, buzzing all over the final third of the pitch trying to make things happen, but it begs the question whether he is the type of player suited to playing as a lone striker. Would he benefit playing off a more typical poacher in Cristian Colmán? Colmán failed to impress last season, but this now his second gaol coming off the bench, and he might have had his confidence boosted to make some impact this season. Gruezo looked uncomfortable as part of a midfield-two with Hayes, and could be presumably be dropped for Kellyn Acosta on his return, which could mean all three DP’s may be on the bench.

What will please most fans is the assist from Diaz. He wasn’t spectacular on the night as a whole, but he was sharp and intelligent with the ball. And when he was given a bit of space at the end he showed what he is truly capable of. If this is the Diaz from 2016 then there is still plenty of hope for Dallas to cling onto for this season.