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FC Dallas vs LA Galaxy Preview: Lineups, Storylines & What to Watch

Big D Soccer April 18, 2026

FC Dallas is back at Toyota Stadium on Saturday night as they look to bounce back from a frustrating 1-1 draw with St. Louis CITY SC last week. While there were positives to build on, it was ultimately a missed opportunity to grab all three points.

Now comes a different kind of test in the LA Galaxy, who arrive in the middle of a busy stretch of their own. This will be the Galaxy’s fourth game in two weeks, after dealing with a difficult draw in the Concacaf Champions Cup against Mexican powers Toluca. LA was outed from that competition and they now look to get back on track in MLS with their only visit to Frisco in the regular season.

Let’s dive into some notes, predictions, and more.

TL;DR: Match Preview

Quick hits before kickoff.

Score prediction: FC Dallas 2 - 1 LA Galaxy
Key player to watch: Kaick - The midfield battle will be key in this one. If the young Brazilian controls the space and avoids an early yellow card, Dallas will be able to control this one.
Why this game matters: After dropping two points last week at home against St. Louis, Dallas has to find a way to get back on track with another home win before the looming nine-game road trip starting next month.

FC Dallas Notes:

Key player for FC Dallas: Petar Musa - If Musa is hoping to make the Croatian national team roster for the World Cup this summer, he needs to get back to scoring like he was a few weeks ago.

All-time vs LA : Overall, Dallas and the LA Galaxy have matched up 96 times across all competitions. Dallas’ record versus LA is 40-43-13, with a 160-171 goal differential favoring the Galaxy. FC Dallas holds a 26-9-7 all-time regular-season home record against LA. Dallas has scored 79 home goals against LA. The Galaxy has scored 54 goals at Toyota Stadium.

Homegrown clock : Homegrown keeper Michael Collodi was the only HGP earning minutes this season until Nolan Norris joined him on the field. Collodi has played the full 90 in each match, while Norris has a couple of matches under his belt now. Together they have played 995 minutes.

What to Watch For: FC Dallas vs. LA GalaxyFC Dallas hosts the LA Galaxy in the middle of a three-game homestand. Here’s what to watch for, including capitalizing on tired legs, avoiding another flat performance, and extending the club’s current unbeaten run.Big D SoccerDrew Epperley

Notable season stats :

FCD is 10th in crosses in MLS with 88.
11th in total distance covered in MLS with 12.36 km (504.78 miles).
FCD is 15th in clearances with 47.
FCD is third in MLS in aerial challenges won with 112.
FC Dallas is 11th in MLS in xG with 12.62.
FCD is 9th in shots across MLS with 92.
Musa is 2nd in MLS in xG with 5.56. He also ranks third in MLS in shots with 26.

Potential FC Dallas Lineup:

With injuries and additional games starting to stack up, could we see Eric Quill start to rotate his lineup a bit more? This weekend feels like a decent chance to get more minutes for Joaquin Valiente and Santiago Moreno.

Projected Starting XI

Formation: 3-4-3

ST Musa

ST Farrington

CAM Valiente

LWB CMoore

CM Kaick

CM Cappis

RWB Johansson

LCB Norris

CB Urhoghide

RCB Ibeagha

GK Collodi

Availability & Disciplinary Report

⚽

Disciplinary Report Suspended: none Suspended with next yellow card: none Suspended with next two yellow cards: none

🗒️

Availability Report Season-ending injury list: Kaka Scabin Out : Anderson Julio (Lower leg), Bernard Kamungo (lower leg), Ramiro (lower leg) Questionable : none On Loan: Tsiki Ntsabeleng (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Enes Sali (Al-Riyadh), Malachi Molina (Nashville SC), Geovane Jesus (North Texas SC), Enzo Newman (North Texas SC) Unavailable (off-roster): Daniel Baran, Jaidyn Contreras International duty: none

Don’t just read the free version

You just read the free version.

The full breakdown — tactics, what Quill got wrong, and what it means for the next match — is for members.

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LA Galaxy Notes:

Key player for LA: Joao Klauss

Scouting LA Galaxy: What FC Dallas Needs to Know 🔎A detailed scouting report on LA Galaxy ahead of FC Dallas’ 2026 showdown, breaking down formations, key players, tendencies, and tactical edges.Big D SoccerDrew Epperley

Disciplinary Report

Suspended: none Suspended on next yellow card: none

Availability Report Out: Matheus Nascimento (thigh), Erik Thommy (thigh) Questionable: Jakob Glesnes (calf) On Loan: none International duty: none

How to watch

📅 Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026 ⚽️ Kickoff: 7:30 PM 🏟 Venue: Toyota Stadium 📺 Streaming: MLS Season Pass 💬 Gameday Social: #FCDvLAG ☀️ Weather: 57, cloudy with potential for rain