In the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal, Pachuca from the Liga MX travel to take on hosts FC Dallas.
Last night saw the Vancouver Whitecaps fall 2-0 to Tigres UANL in Mexico in their semifinal of the CONCACAF Champions League. FC Dallas look to write a different story and will be looking for a win at home against Liga MX side Pachuca. A win at home will be vital in claiming a spot in the CCL final against the winner of the Vancouver-Tigres semifinal.
Dallas does have some work to do, though. Here is what Dallas has to do tonight to take an advantage down south.
Take Advantage of Chances
FC Dallas is very creative and has the ability to create some solid chances against this Pachuca side. Those chances, though, will be few and far between with Pachuca having this tough of a defense. In order for Dallas to come away with the advantage going into leg two, they must take advantage of every opportunity they get.
That is where Christian Colman comes in. Dallas’ new designated player can be very clinical in front of goal but at the same time has the reputation of not putting chances away. Colman’s performance tonight could be the deciding factor of whether Dallas scores tonight.
Be Weary of the Counter Attack
Dallas has to be extremely careful about how many numbers they push forward into the attack. Pachuca is very dangerous on the counter attack and have the pace to cause a lot of problems for Zimmerman and co.
Kellyn Acosta says that the team is well aware of the dangers that Pachuca pose:
"They have some special players, and I know they’re a fast paced team that likes to counter-attack. We need to be very mindful of that. We’ve got to be aware of some of those guys who, with too much space, can hurt us."
If Dallas doesn’t score in the first half, Oscar Pareja’s side will most likely start pushing forward more, opening up opportunities for the Mexican side to counter. Dallas has to be careful about how and at what times they can go forward.
Predicted Line-Up
Match Info
What: CONCACAF Champions League semifinal, 1st leg
Who: FC Dallas vs. CF Pachuca
When: Wednesday, March 15th, 5 pm PT (8 pm ET)
Where: Toyota Sadium, Dallas, Texas
How to Watch: Univision Deportes Network (U.S.); Facebook Live (online)
Next: MLS Power Rankings: Week 2
Who will come out on top tonight? Let us know your thoughts below.