FC Tulsa Aims for History Against MLS’ FC Dallas in U.S. Open Cup
FRISCO, Texas – Between a postponement and a loss, FC Tulsa’s week-long, three-city roadtrip has been anything but ideal, however that could all change on Tuesday night in Frisco, Texas. In the shadows of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Tulsa will shoot for history of its own against FC Dallas in the Third Round of the U.S. Open Cup at Toyota Stadium.
The opportunity will be just the second in club history for FC Tulsa against an MLS opponent, and first in this new era of the franchise. Its previous opportunity came in 2017 against this same FC Dallas where a stoppage time own goal felled FC Tulsa in a 2-1 defeat. A bigger stage awaits on Tuesday night, however. In 2017, the teams met on Westcott Field in University Park, home to SMU’s men’s and women’s soccer programs. This year, FC Tulsa visits FC Dallas’ true home arena, the 20,000+ seat Toyota Stadium where Dallas lifted the 2016 U.S. Open Cup trophy.
To advance to the next round of the Open Cup and secure a historic first victory over an MLS team, FC Tulsa will need a complete team performance and possibly a little Cup magic. The potential for an upset is not without precedent. Over the last three Open Cups (2017-2019), an MLS team has been beaten by a lower division team 11 total times. The most recent occasion occurred in the Round of 16 in 2019 when New Mexico United knocked off FC Dallas 2-1, a feat FC Tulsa will be looking to accomplish itself on Tuesday night.
SCOUTING FC DALLAS
It’s the dawn of a new era in North Texas soccer in 2022. After years of light spending and focus on building from within, FC Dallas splashed this offseason with the signing of Argentine attacker Alan Velasco and the trade acquisition of U.S. National Team forward Paul Arriola. The club also re-signed striker Jesus Ferreira, who in 2018 spent time on loan with Tulsa, to a Designated Player contract.
With Homegrown talents Paxton Pomykal and Brandon Servania continuing to man the midfield, FC Dallas is deep and talented. So far, Dallas has been one of MLS’ best teams in 2022 under new head coach Nico Estévez, with just one loss through its first seven matches. Although its early, FC Dallas looks poised for its best finish in MLS since its Supporters Shield winning season in 2016.
THREE REASONS TO WATCH
1) FC Tulsa vs. MLS
In the franchise’s eight-year history, this is just the second time the club has had a competitive match against an MLS opponent (both FC Dallas), not counting a handful of preseason matches over the years. Over the last three years, FC Tulsa has made significant progress on and off the pitch, from Playoff berths to increased attendance at ONEOK Field. Tuesday night will present another opportunity to showcase just how far the franchise has come since the ’18 and ’19 seasons when the Roughnecks were unable to win an Open Cup match. Win or lose, being on this stage in the Open Cup will be a fun sight for FC Tulsa supporters and fans.
2) Rebounding from Saturday
FC Tulsa wasn’t at its best on Saturday in a 3-1 loss at Tampa Bay and is in need of a rebound before returning to USL Championship action on Saturday at ONEOK Field. Finding the right defensive combination will be key against a high-powered FC Dallas offensive attack. In its last four of its last five matches in all competitions, FC Tulsa has allowed multiple goals after allowing 1 or 0 in its first three matches to start 2022. Getting back to that defensive form on Tuesday night should carry into league play this weekend.
3) Lineup Rotation
Coming off Saturday night matches and with weekend matches this coming Saturday, both FC Dallas and FC Tulsa will have tough decisions to make Tuesday night related to its lineup. Both teams will likely mix in players who haven’t seen as many minutes this season with lineup regulars. Following its match on Saturday, FC Tulsa will have 11 days off, so might have more flexibility when it comes to roster decisions. Flying into Dallas on Sunday morning has allowed FC Tulsa a normal 48-hour prematch routine, including a full training session on Monday in Frisco.
HOW TO WATCH
As was the case with FC Tulsa’s Second Round Open Cup matchup, Tuesday night’s match will only be available for streaming on ESPN+. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. CT from Toyota Stadium and can be found here.
