1-2 is not a reason to panic in the eyes of FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja. Despite losing the first leg, there were many positive aspects that can be taken away from the game and with fine tuning the team is confident that they can overturn the situation and dream on making it to the Western Conference final.
With the game now being played at Toyota Stadium, they will have the home crowd support. It will give them a boost they might need if things start getting complicated as the game goes on. The average of goals scored at home is of 1.9, higher than the average of 1.1 that they have away from Frisco.
Another good thing is that they concede less than a goal (0.9) per game when playing at home and that they already have an away-goal advantage. One goal from them in this next game without conceding would set the aggregate score 2-2, and it will give FC Dallas its ticket to the next round.
That seems pretty doable for FC Dallas. They have scored 2 goals at home in 12 games. Seattle has only scored two or more in five of the 17 games they played away from home. While numbers don't really count during a match, they can influence the way a team gets ready for a game.
Oscar Pareja has trusted Jesse Gonzalez as their goalkeeper for much of this season. The young Mexican goalkeeper has had some fabulous outings and made five big saves in his first MLS Playoff game last Sunday. The amount of noise in Seattle's ground did minimal damage on a very young squad averaging 24.5 years of age, with only one player over 30. Seattle's side had a more veteran team on the field averaging 29.6 years.
FC Dallas is doing a good job with their goalkeepers
Jesse Gonzalez is really flipping good. So ironic that FC Dallas has produced two homegrown goalkeepers who may start for Mexico some day.
— Jonah Freedman (@jonahfreedman) November 2, 2015
Each day I come to @FCDallas training, Jesse Gonzalez looks more and more ahead of the rest of the 'keepers. Eye-popping raw talent.
— Scott Sidway (@ScottyWK) October 27, 2015
Mauro Diaz, a 24-year old player that comes from River Plate in Argentina, has become one of the stars of this team. With the number ten on his back, he is a natural leader on the field and has the vision of someone much older than his own age.
While Diaz has eight goals so far this season, it is Fabian Castillo the man with the most goals up to this point with ten. The Colombian star just tied the number of goals with which he finished last season, his debut season in the MLS. Four of his ten goals were game-winning goals last season, he may want one more today.
Castillo may be looking for new challenges sometime soon
I hope everyone is enjoying Fabian Castillo's nationally televised European tryout. I'm sure FC Porto is.
— Jonah Freedman (@jonahfreedman) November 2, 2015
Seattle's roster is headlined by the USMNT former team captain Clint Dempsey. It is thanks to Dempsey that the Sounders have the lead in this series. A free kick from Dempsey has Seattle with somewhat of an advantage heading into Sunday's game.
Clint is not done playing good soccer yet
Quote of the night to Sigi Schmid on Clint Dempsey: "Nothing Clint does surprises me." pic.twitter.com/pQTemRxkCU
— Matt Pentz (@mattpentz) November 2, 2015
The bad news for them is that Osvaldo Alonso and Brad Evans may be out for this game with injuries. That may create issues in the midfield, but not up front where it is usually Obafemi Martins and Dempsey the ones that scored the goals. Martins has 15 and Dempsey
WATCH: Dallas took the early lead but Seattle came up with the late win
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