FRISCO, Texas - Bad news turned even worse for FC Dallas Saturday night when, on Drew Moor’s goal-scoring header, midfielder Andrew Jacobson suffered an elbow to the head from the Colorado Rapids center back.
Jacobson left the match with concussion-like symptoms and doesn’t recall what happened on the play.
“I just remember going up for it (the header) – I thought I was going to win it – and just like a cartoon, 'POW!' said Jacobson after watching his teammates train from the sidelines Tuesday morning. “I don’t really remember much. I had one in college but it’s not like a big ongoing thing or anything like that.”
FC Dallas trainers cleaned up the cut after Jacobson’s collision and glued the wound together rather than stitching it.
Three days after the teams fourth-straight 1-0 loss, Jacobson feels significantly better.
“Each day has gotten a lot better and I have some testing today and if I pass it I can start getting back out there,” he said.
Head coach Schellas Hyndman noted that the upcoming four-day break during the international FIFA date was well-timed. “This is great timing because he has a week to get ready for a game,” Hyndman said in anticipation of the teams Oct. 12 match at the Chicago Fire.
PRACTICE AND A TIME TO REST
For the first time in what feels like ages, FC Dallas returned to the training pitch Monday, not for a recovery session or a game preview, but to work on their style of play.
Among those benefiting from the practice time – which featured working the ball around the opponent's 18-yard box – was forward Maicon Santos.
“This is really one of the only days we’ve ever worked with him, because I think we’ve only had three days of training in three months,” Hyndman said. “So it’s been hard for him to understand.”
The veteran Brazilian has had many scoring opportunities during the team’s four-game losing streak and was excited to work with his team away from league matches. “To have a full training like that with the team is cool,” Santos said. “It’s good for me, it’s good for the team too, but we’ve been working a lot to get the results back so it’s good to have a day like that of practice.”
Combine Monday and Tuesday’s practice with the four-day weekend FC Dallas will enjoy Thursday through Sunday, and Hyndman expressed excitement on behalf of his players.
“This is the first break since February,” he said. “It’s our first weekend off and we’re really excited about it. It came really at a good time. The balls haven’t been bouncing right, but at the same time you have to make the ball bounce right for yourself; I think it’s been a combination of a few things, and we are very excited to have some time off.”