The Orange and Blue are back in action at the fortress on Wednesday, May 28th as they receive one of the 10 original MLS founders, FC Dallas. Expectations are high as the club comes back home with a roster that is almost fully healthy. How will they confront a team in a rebuild season now home to one of the current best MLS players, our very well-known 2023 MVP, Lucho Acosta?
FC DALLAS “LOS TOROS” (THE BULLS)
FC Dallas underwent a significant rebuild for the 2025 season, making major roster changes and bringing in a new head coach, Eric Quill. The club saw key departures, including Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola, who joined the Seattle Sounders, and Alan Velasco, who returned to Argentina to play for Boca Juniors.
However, Dallas made a blockbuster move by acquiring Lucho Acosta, the 2023 MLS MVP and FC Cincinnati’s current all-time leading scorer, in a $5 million cash-for-player trade. The club’s leadership emphasized that this rebuild is not just a short-term fix but a long-term strategy to create a winning team.
In addition to Lucho, FC Dallas was busy reshaping its squad for the 2025 season. It brought in key acquisitions including Shaq Moore, right back with 19 USMNT caps, Anderson Julio, Ecuadorian winger/forward from Real Salt Lake, Patrickson Delgado, Ecuadorian midfielder, Ramiro, Brazilian midfielder, Lalas Abubakar, MLS center back, Pedrinho, attacking midfielder from North Texas SC (and previously with Flamengo), and Osaze Urhoghide, center back signed from Amiens SC (marking the highest transfer fee ever paid for a defender in FC Dallas history).
FC Dallas has adopted a high-risk, attacking style under Quill in 2025. The team emphasizes quick transitions, aggressive pressing, and fluid movement in the final third. He has experimented with different formations as he builds the style and chemistry of his team, with the last two matches playing under a 4-2-3-1 formation with Shaq Moore and Pedrinho aggressively moving forward. However, this aggressive attacking approach has exposed their backline, putting pressure on center backs Urhoghide and Ibeagha. The results so far have not been encouraging. Their record is 4-4-6. Lucho Acosta had not scored since March 29th until last Wednesday during an Open Cup game against NY Red Bulls. He has also yet to have an assist this year across all competitions.
It’s clear what Quill wants to instill, but it is taking time for all the new faces to gel, adapt to his system of play, and understand each other. Their match against FCC will be another opportunity for them to continue integrating Quill’s system and get a good result against one of the better teams in MLS.
FC CINCINNATI
A tough and frustrating loss against Atlanta United has FCC looking for answers. For an excellent review of the game, check out Gracin Galbreath’s article. The team will have little time to regroup and get ready for FC Dallas. FCC comes into this game with a 9-2-4 record.
The biggest concern will be the absence of Nick Hagglund who suffered two broken ribs and an injured lung during the game against Atlanta. Nick has been a stalwart and now Pat Noonan will need to determine his starting backline without the Cincinnati Kid. The rest of the backline is healthy and deep enough that we should see a strong lineup in those positions. However, they will be missing Nick’s ability in the air, his intensity, his drive, and his own particular style of leadership.
In the midfield the club will also have multiple options to choose from depending on whether or not it opts to be more aggressive on the attack or more conservative to preserve energy given the quick turnaround for Saturday’s game against DC United. Except for Yuya Kubo, who is questionable at the time of this writing, Noonan will have his full complement to decide who starts.
At the front, the club will again have a healthy roster from which to choose. The combination of Kévin Denkey, Evander, and Luca Orellano will provide FC Dallas with enough challenges. If Noonan chooses to be aggressive on offense, he might repeat the sword formation which would include Dado Valenzuela.
The Orange and Blue have an opportunity to straighten the ship. They will need shake off the frustration from last Sunday and bring to bear the inherent talent they have shown at times in glimpses and at times during entire games. But they also need to rise above their rival and play their game. They cannot continue to play down to the level of teams they should easily beat by more than one goal. Looking ahead, FCC will be having a very tough schedule soon facing Orlando, Miami (twice in a period of 10 days), and Charlotte.
This Wednesday is the time for the Orange Blue to finally start showing consistency across all lines and stop an FC Dallas team that is looking to gel at the right moment behind the 2023 MVP, Lucho Acosta.
MATCH INFO
When: Wednesday May 28th, Sunday, 7:30 pm
Where: TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Watch: Apple TV+
Listen: iHeart Media ESPN 1530 (English), La Mega Cincinnati 101.5 FM (Spanish)
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