Just before Sunday's MLS Cup, I broke down what I felt would be the four deciding matchups that I believed FC Dallas would need in their favor in order to hoist their first league title [READ MY PRE-GAME MATCHUPS HERE]. Now, a few days removed from FCD's 2-1 defeat at the hands of Colorado, I wanted to take a look back on those and evaluate the individual battles.
George John vs. Conor Casey
It would be easy to say that Casey won this matchup based on his selection as MLS Cup MVP, but that would not be true. It would also be easy to say that John lost this matchup because it was his own goal that secured the Colorado championship.
But let's look at the facts.
Conor Casey was relentless in his energy and effort. George John matched the Rapids forward with his strength and bravery in a majority of challenges. Colorado typically tries to build their attack by link play using Casey to begin the sequence. I very rarely saw passes played into him and then a release of pressure to Rapids attackers moving forward. I felt the FC Dallas backline pushed a high line defensively and took away the opportunity for Casey to receives passes.
As for the goal that Casey scored? It was a product of a one-v-one mistake out wide. John was involved in the scrum in front of the FCD goal, and Casey did enough to deflect the ball beyond Kevin Hartman. Finals usually produce more ugly goals than beautiful ones, and this was certainly the former.
The same could also be said of the game winning own goal scored off the body of George John. A shross as I call it (a combination of a shot and a cross - sometimes the player is not sure which one until the end product) struck John and went into the net. The second year center defender was just unlucky in the end, but I wouldn't say that Casey was better -- I would say that Casey created his own luck. I wish the same could be said for George John.
David Ferreira vs. Pablo Mastroeni
This matchup was THE one for me. Championship games are almost always a very tight, compact affair. I was worried about how that would take away the advantage of Ferreira’s brilliance. But the goal he scored was so calmly finished that I thought the game would open up more. Down a goal? Certainly they would push forward to allow Ferreira more space to lead counter attacks and kill off the Rapids.
But when Colorado found an equalizer that was no longer going to happen.
In fact, the central midfield duo of Mastroeni and Larentowicz dictated the game in Colorado’s favor. As the team leader, Mastroeni’s work rate and ability to cover ground in midfield disrupted FCD possession.
It is said that in soccer the game is much easier to destroy than create, and that saying was never made more true than at BMO Field.
Ferreira, in search of space in midfield, spent a lot of time pushing out wide. As passes continued to get played over his head, the game became everything Dallas and Ferreira didn’t want it to be - physical, athletic competition. It was no longer about skill and creativity. Dallas had to be better in possession in order to shift the momentum in their favor. Playing continual long passes was not the way to change the game. I believe that had the MLS MVP been able to combine with his teammates and get into a rhythm, the outcome would have been different.
Jair Benitez vs. Omar Cummings
It was a quiet night for Omar Cummings. He was very rarely able to extend his legs to utilize his pace, and the game was so tight it denied him the opportunity to link up with Conor Casey. Much of that was due to Colorado’s lack of possession in the game.
Cummings' work rate was what it should be for a final, but his performance lacked what makes him such an interesting player.
Jair Benitez fought hard and tried to push forward as the game wore on. Had FCD been better in possession he could have created the width that would have allowed David Ferreira access into the center of midfield.
Benitez was beaten by Macoumba Kandji for the Colorado game winning goal, but he also started the sequence that set Marvin Chavez into space to cross to Ferreira, who scored the game's first goal. Benitez has been such a big factor in creating width and attacking movements all season long for FCD. It was difficult for him to get into those spaces Sunday, and that was the nullifying factor for Omar Cummings.
Atiba Harris vs. Drew Moor
Against the LA Galaxy, Harris provided link play after FCD took the lead. I had hoped for the same against the Colorado Rapids. I know he can defend set plays and be a thorn in the side of center defenders when closing them down quickly after turnovers. But on Sunday night, as the game continued to exist as one series of physical challenges after another instead of attacking movements made in quick possession, I felt his services as a target man were no longer needed.
His competitive nature adds so much for FCD, but there was too much of that all over the field. The game needed skill, creativity and the willingness to take risk in order to open play.
To say Drew Moor would be motivated for the Cup Final would be an understatement. He was caught out of position on the Ferreira goal as the clever Colombian slipped between he and Marvell Wynne to get on the end of a perfect Marvin Chavez cross, but that was his only misstep of the game. In fact, his clearance on a Jeff Cunningham last gasp attempt summed up his night- right place, right time. At left center back the former Dallas man was confident and timely.
When Dallas was looking for width and made a change in favor of Eric Avila, the response from Rapids coach Gary Smith was to move Moor to left back. The game in front of him all night became predictable and he took care of the rest when need be.
It was a frustrating night for FCD fans, but not nearly as much as it must have been for the FC Dallas creative engines. Physical play and commitment to grind was the difference for Colorado, and it was the outcome of these matchups that led the way in setting that tone.