FC Dallas (pictured) celebrates after capturing the MLS Supporters' Shield on October 23, 2016, in Carson, California. (Photo courtesy of FC Dallas)
CARSON, California – FC Dallas concluded a week to remember by claiming the 2016 MLS Supporters’ Shield, finishing the regular season with the league’s best record (17W-9D-8L, 60 points) after a 0-0 draw against the host LA Galaxy on Sunday at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Three days after rallying for a 5-2 win at Guatemala’s Suchitepequez to seal a 2016/17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal berth, FCD lifted its second trophy of the season to go along with the U.S. Open Cup crown earned last month. Both accomplishments guaranteed the club a second straight SCCL trip.
“Obviously it’s a prize and reward for the guys with such an effort this week,” said head coach Oscar Pareja. “Going to Guatemala and advancing in CONCACAF, getting a tremendous result at home against Seattle that put us in the run and gave us the option to come and own the destiny of this cup. They came to LA and got the job done.
“We are really proud. You could see a team that was very mature. And we’re happy now obviously and just thinking about the playoffs.”
Next for Dallas is a MLS Cup post-season meeting against either the Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City or Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference semifinals, which begin November 1.
“I’ve been trying hard just to keep the boys in the philosophy of playing one game at a time and with our group sometimes it’s, in my opinion, overwhelming just to demand such an assignment,” Pareja finished. “It’s fine to dream about it, but for them it’s just one game at a time. So a change every three days in our mode is going to CONCACAF, playing for the Cup, trying to sustain our position in the league, come here and fight for the Supporters’ Shield…it’s a lot. But now we have the next objective and it’s the playoffs and obviously that will make us feel that the treble is possible.”
FC Dallas is searching for its first MLS Cup title.
