STWF Sports | PORTLAND, Oregon | July 22, 2026 — FC Dallas returned to Major League Soccer action Wednesday night with a spirited performance at Providence Park, but a late Portland Timbers equalizer forced the visitors to settle for a 2-2 draw.
Dallas moved to 7-4-5 with 26 points, while Portland finished the night at 5-8-3 with 18 points. FC Dallas twice positioned itself to take control of the match, including a late 2-1 advantage, before the Timbers responded to earn a share of the points.
FC Dallas: A Season in Review
Patrickson Delgado opened the scoring for Dallas in first-half stoppage time, finishing a move created by midfielder Joaquin Valiente. The goal was Delgado’s third of the season, with all three coming away from home.
Valiente’s assist was his fifth of the campaign, moving him into the team lead in that category. The connection gave Dallas a valuable breakthrough before halftime and rewarded a disciplined opening-half performance in a difficult road environment.
Portland eventually responded, but FC Dallas regained the lead through the return of Petar Musa.
The Croatian forward entered as a second-half substitute following his participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and immediately reminded Dallas of his importance in the attacking third. Musa scored his 13th MLS goal of the season, moving into a tie for the league lead in the Golden Boot race.
His return came after a historic World Cup appearance with Croatia. Musa became the first active FC Dallas player to score in the competition when he found the net against England on June 17 at Dallas Stadium. He made two starts during the tournament before rejoining his club.
Dallas appeared positioned to leave Providence Park with all three points after Musa’s goal, but the Timbers found a late equalizer. The result left head coach Eric Quill proud of his team’s effort but frustrated by its inability to close the match.
“When you take a 2-1 lead late, you need to close out the game,” Quill said. “We’ll review what led to their equalizer and correct our mistakes, but I can’t fault our mentality or effort.”
The match also featured several notable returns and debuts for Dallas.
Goalkeeper Daniel made his first appearance for the club and earned the start after arriving from the San Jose Earthquakes earlier this summer. Sweden international Herman Johansson returned from World Cup duty and rejoined the starting lineup.
Winger Santiago Moreno also made an emotional return to Portland, facing the Timbers for the first time since leaving the club in 2025. Moreno spent four seasons in Portland before joining Dallas on loan from Fluminense FC ahead of the 2026 season. He has recorded two goals and one assist across 10 appearances for Dallas.
Bernard Kamungo returned as a second-half substitute, making his first appearance since April 4 after missing nine matches with a muscle injury. Forward Anderson Julio was also available in the matchday squad following a knee injury that had kept him out since early March.
Midfielder Christian Cappis said Dallas executed its game plan effectively for most of the night but acknowledged the difference between earning one point and securing three.
“We took the lead late and put ourselves in the position we wanted, but we needed to close out the game,” Cappis said. “We worked hard and followed the game plan, but we came up a little short at the end.”
Dallas now turns its attention to another road challenge. The club remains on the West Coast for a Saturday matchup against San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium.
Quill emphasized recovery and maintaining the aggressive approach Dallas displayed in Portland.
“We’ll reset, be the aggressors, and be ready to take it to San Diego this weekend,” he said.
Kickoff against San Diego is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT, with the match streaming on Apple TV.
