STWF Sports| FRISCO, Texas| Sept. 19, 2026 — FC Dallas may not have found the winning goal Saturday night, but the club still walked away from Toyota Stadium with another piece of hardware.
FC Dallas: A Strong Contender in MLS
Dallas played Austin FC to a 0-0 draw in the latest installment of the Texas rivalry, improving to 12-6-8 with 44 points while securing the Copa Tejas for the third time in club history. Austin moved to 7-10-9 with 30 points.
The result extended FC Dallas’ unbeaten run at home against Austin to eight MLS regular-season matches, with Dallas holding a 6-0-2 record in those meetings. More importantly, the draw was enough for Dallas to claim the season series and regain the Copa Tejas after previously winning the trophy in 2021 and 2024.
While the trophy provided reason to celebrate, head coach Eric Quill believed his side created enough opportunities to earn all three points.
“We’re disappointed because it’s bittersweet,” Quill said. “Yes, we’re the Copa Tejas winners, and for our fans, this was one of our objectives tonight, to solidify being the cup winner. But I’m just sorry that we didn’t get the three points.”
Dallas entered the match riding a three-game winning streak but was unable to reproduce the finishing touch that fueled its recent run. The hosts generated dangerous opportunities throughout the night, only to be denied by Austin’s defense and goalkeeper.
At the opposite end, FC Dallas delivered one of its strongest defensive performances in recent weeks.
Goalkeeper Daniel made three saves to record his first clean sheet of the season, while Dallas collected its sixth shutout as a team. Quill credited the collective organization of his side, particularly its ability to limit Austin’s buildup and keep dangerous chances to a minimum.
“I like where we’ve been trending defensively,” Quill said. “Tonight I thought our lines were compact. Our pressure up front with Kaick and Joaquín really got in their face.”
Midfielder Ran Binyamin echoed that assessment, pointing to Dallas’ organization and defensive commitment as positives despite the missed opportunities in attack.
“We managed to keep a clean sheet, which is very important to us,” Binyamin said. “We managed to create a few chances that we didn’t have the quality today to finish up. But it’s okay. We keep on working.”
Santiago Moreno also viewed the performance as encouraging despite the lack of goals. Dallas had been much more clinical during its recent winning streak, including victories over Minnesota United and Portland Timbers, but that final touch disappeared Saturday.
“The team is working well, we’re creating scoring chances, and the only thing missing was that final action, the goal,” Moreno said.
The rivalry atmosphere was again backed by a capacity crowd. FC Dallas announced attendance of 10,925, extending its regular-season sellout streak to 46 consecutive matches. Including one playoff contest, Toyota Stadium has now hosted 47 consecutive sold-out MLS matches, a club record.
With Copa Tejas secured, Dallas turns its attention back toward the Western Conference race and the closing stretch of the regular season.
The challenge increases immediately.
FC Dallas will remain at Toyota Stadium to host LAFC on Saturday, Sept. 26, for Y2K Night presented by Chick-fil-A. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.
For a Dallas side that has shown improved defensive structure and attacking production during its late-season push, the next objective is turning Saturday’s missed opportunities into goals.
The Copa Tejas is back in Frisco. Now the focus shifts toward building momentum for the postseason.
