Why forward Jesús Ferreira’s awakening can raise FC Dallas’ hopes

Jesús Ferrerira has spent more time this season recovering from injuries than on the field, but that has not stopped him from making history with FC Dallas.

With his goal against Austin last week, the forward became the youngest player in MLS history to reach 50 career goals.

“I’m excited to be able to achieve 50 goals at this club, a club I’ve grown up playing in and dreaming about achieving many things,” said Ferreira, who will be with his team in Houston on Saturday to face the Dynamo in another Texas derby.

Ferreira reached the 50-goal mark in just 147 career MLS games, a span in which he’s also logged 30 assists since his 2017 MLS debut.

At 23 years and 139 days old, Ferrera topped the record previously held by current LA Galaxy attacker Diego Fagúndez (23 years, 256 days old).

“It’s a great feeling. My goal is to break records and write my own history, that means a lot to me”, Ferreira said.

Ferreira’s goal last week was just his second this season, in which he had played only 336 minutes.

The absence of FCD’s best scorer in the past two seasons coincides with the team’s current losing record, with just three wins in 11 games.

“We started the season very slow, but I feel like right now we are developing good chemistry, we are starting to score goals, and we want to show our fans that we are a competitive team,” Ferreira said.

FC Dallas’s expectations of winning games increase with Ferreira in the starting lineup to form an explosive offensive duo with the Croatian Petar Mussa.

So far this season, Ferreira and Mussa have only been able to play three games together.

“I think that game by game, training after training, Jesús and I have developed better communication, and that is normal because we are getting to know each other better,” Said Mussa, who is the club’s best scorer with four goals.

The feeling within the FCD is that the presence of Ferreira and Mussa in the starting lineup gives the team a better chance to win.

“Jesús is a significant player for us; his presence in the lineup is important so that he and Mussa can develop a good chemistry. I am sure that Jesús and Petar will give us a lot of joy together,” said FC Dallas midfielder Asier Illarramendi.

With Ferreira and Mussa in good physical condition, FC Dallas will travel to Houston to try to earn their first road victory of the season.

In the Western Conference, FCD is in 12th place with 11 points, while Houston is in eighth with 17.

“The win would be significant, especially because it would be our first away from home. We are a team that usually competes well in Houston, and winning the derby against a direct rival would allow us to climb positions in our conference”, said FC Dallas Coach Nico Estévez.

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