FRISCO, Texas — Here's what you need to know from Thursday's Generation adidas Cup action:
22 players chase a ball for 70 minutes, and at the end, the Germans always win [on penalties].
Despite a very strong performance, FC Dallas were knocked out of championship contention on Thursday night after a scoreless tie against Eintracht Frankfurt, losing 5-3 on penalty kicks in front of their home fans and first-team head coach Oscar Pareja.
FC Dallas carried play in regulation but failed to take advantage of several chances. Weston McKennie forced a relatively routine save from Frankfurt goalkeeper Johann Aumann in the first half, while Giovanni Montesdeoca and McKennie both came close but failed to hit the target with difficult second-half looks.
With the shootout approaching, Frankfurt brought in goalkeeper Jan Hoffelner, who had yet to play in the tournament, and he stopped Duncan James with the fourth Dallas penalty kick to lift Eintracht Frankfurt into Saturday's final against River Plate, a 1-0 winner over Palmeiras in the earlier semifinal. It was a harsh end for an exciting FC Dallas team, one that will face a Brazilian opponent in the third-place game for the second consecutive year.
Saturday's MLSsoccer streams are:
- 12 noon ET: New York Red Bulls vs. Independiente Medellín (Premier Division final)
- 8:15 pm ET: River Plate vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (Champions Division final)
Weston McKennie can boss a game.
FC Dallas midfielder Weston McKennie will likely remember Thursday's semifinal for his agonizing second-half miss and his club's penalty-kick frustration. But the game may be remembered as the night McKennie grew up.
Long a part of US youth national teams, McKennie spent last year in US Soccer's Bradenton, Florida, residency program and now carries the weight of high expectations everywhere he and FC Dallas go. Used in multiple spots in the flexible FC Dallas midfield triangle, McKennie had been overshadowed by outstanding wingers Toshiki Yasuda and Devin Vega and goalscorer Giovanni Montesdeoca in the tournament, and he was hampered Monday and Wednesday by a needless yellow card that left him one yellow away from suspension.
On Thursday, however, playing as the lone attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 alignment, McKennie seemed to be everywhere. He saw the field well, he tackled with menace and he drew Frankfurt defenders with him everywhere he went. He turned defenders while on the run and picked the right pass almost every time. His ability to bring down flighted balls with perfect chest traps gave Dallas additional options going forward as they controlled the run of play against a strong Frankfurt team.
Unfortunately for McKennie, his best chance to put Dallas ahead came in an impromptu situation, while he was already falling to the ground in the six-yard box. While he turned that shot wide and was substituted out before the shootout, McKennie's ability to control a game was on full display.
The Red Bulls will get a serious challenge on Saturday.
While the New York Red Bulls edged the LA Galaxy 1-0 in the Premier Division semifinals on Thursday, their biggest test will come Saturday against Colombian club Independiente Medellín. New York dominated play against LA even before a 40th-minute red card, with Brian Saramago scoring the game's only goal in the 49th minute after a feed by Rodrigo D'Andrea.
But Independiente were even more impressive in their domination of Japanese club Sagan Tosu. Outshooting Sagan 13-4, Independiente seized control of the game with a brilliant long ball from playmaker Ivan Mora to spring Naisir Carmona for his tournament-best fifth goal. Medellín never allowed Sagan Tosu back in the game, wrapping it up with three minutes remaining, and have now won each of their tournament games by two goals.
That sets up a fascinating matchup between Independiente's high-flying attack punctuated with individual flair and a New York defense, led by captain and center back Mason Deeds, that has allowed only a questionable penalty-kick goal in four games in the tournament.
- PAIRINGS: Champions Division | Premier Division
You don't have to be big to make an impact.
While MLS is often described as a physical league, several players who are hardly dominant physical specimens have caught the eye in this tournament, trying to follow in the footsteps of current Homegrown Players like Fito Ovalle, Sebastian Saucedo and, to go even farther back, Diego Fagundez.
Orlando City's diminutive playmaker David Loera appeared to be operating in a higher gear than everyone else on the field in Orlando's 0-0 tie with Seattle on Thursday, a sure sign of ability. Dallas wingers Yasuda and Vega have been two of the most exciting players to watch, while Chivas USA frontrunner Misael Becerra struck for two goals in the Premier Division despite playing as a lone true forward against much bigger center backs. The LA Galaxy's Sebastian Segura operated in a similar role on Saturday, but he thrived out wide once LA were reduced to 10 men, almost tying the game for the Galaxy on several occasions.
