FC Dallas opened a three-game homestand Saturday night against St. Louis CITY SC at Toyota Stadium, with kickoff set for 7:30 PM ET in a 77-degree, partly cloudy scene that set up the start of a stretch that could lift the club higher in the standings. The match streamed on MLS Season Pass, and fans following along used the gameday tag #FCDvSTL.
The biggest lineup note for Dallas was the absence of Bernard Kamungo, who was out with a lower leg injury and likely to remain unavailable until at least the World Cup break. Deedson made his first start in a Dallas uniform, while Chris Cappis rejoined the lineup in place of Kaick. Valiente and Moreno were both on the bench for a second straight week, with Moreno expected to play 15 to 20 minutes and Valiente set for around that amount or closer to 30.
That leaves Dallas with some room to manage minutes and some decisions still to make. Kaick, Johansson and possibly Binyamin were all candidates to get time, a sign that the home stretch is as much about rotation as it is about results. Dallas entered the night in a good spot in the standings, and this first home game against St. Louis could matter well beyond one Saturday result if the team handles the three-game run the right way.
The test also carried a little extra weight because St. Louis had the feel of the kind of opponent that can catch a team looking ahead, the sort of trap game Dallas had just faced in D.C. United the week before. With three straight home matches ahead, FC Dallas has a chance to turn a solid position into something better. The next step is simple enough: take care of the first one and make the rest of the homestand count.
