FC Dallas v San Diego FC: Iloski is a 'special player', says Vargas

San Diego FC head coach Mikey Vargas called Milan Iloski a "special player" after his four-goal display against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

San Diego faced Vancouver in a top-of-the-table clash during the week, with Vargas' side emerging 5-3 winners on the road and leapfrogging the Whitecaps to the top of the Western Conference.

Iloski scored four of those goals, now finding the net seven times in his last three games while only starting one of those matches.

This is the first time in MLS history that three players have scored four or more goals in a match in a single season (Brian White vs. Austin FC, and Sam Surridge vs. Chicago Fire).

Vargas said Iloski exemplifies the team as a whole with his quality and unselfishness.

"He's a special player," said Varas. "He's always finding the right spaces.

"He's a giver, so even when he might have a shot, he's always willing to make the extra pass to upgrade the chance.

"He's an example of who we are as a team, because he runs, and he gives, and he gives, and he gives, and then he's got tremendous talent and tremendous quality."

Iloski added: "I hold myself to a very high standard. I've always said this, and it's something that I expected of myself. I have no problem saying that.

"This whole team, the way we play, it makes it a dream for a striker like me.  The help they do, they get me on the pitch. So, I can't thank them enough.

"It was a huge game, and we wanted to win. We wanted to get ourselves in that first-place spot. We're very proud of that."

Next up for San Diego, who have won each of their last three matches, is a trip to FC Dallas, who are currently 10th in the West.

Dallas lost their last match 4-2 to the San Jose Earthquakes after receiving two red cards in the second half, ending a three-match unbeaten streak.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Dallas – Lucho Acosta

Lucho Acosta has been one of Dallas' main threats this season, scoring five times and assisting once.

Acosta was directly involved in six of Dallas' 10 shots on Wednesday (three shots, three chances created).

Since his MLS debut in 2016, Acosta has been directly involved in 1134 shots (529 shots, 605 chances created), more than any other player in the league in that time.

San Diego FC – Anders Dreyer

Three of Iloski's four goals against Vancouver were assisted by Anders Dreyer.

Dreyer now has eight and 11 assists this season, more direct goal contributions than any other player in MLS.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Dallas have lost their last two home matches against Western Conference opponents, including a 4-2 defeat to San Jose on Wednesday. It has been 21 years since Dallas lost three straight regular-season home matches to in-conference foes, last doing so in May-July 2004.

San Diego scored a 5-0 victory in their first-ever matchup with Dallas when the teams faced off last month. That match was the third time in MLS history that an expansion team beat a non-expansion team by a margin of five or more goals.

Hosts Dallas will seek to address a poor run of results at home this season with two draws, five losses, and just one win in eight MLS contests. San Diego have five wins and four losses on the road this season in league matches.

In their last six league matches, Dallas have won one, drawn two and lost three. San Diego, meanwhile, have won four, drawn one and lost one in their last six.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Dallas – 34.2%

Draw – 25.8%

San Diego FC – 40%