Soccer: FC Dallas coming to Midland for exhibition game against West Texas United Sockers

MIDLAND A little bit of persistence paid off for the West Texas United Sockers front office to help bring a unique sporting event to the Permian Basin.

The first-year franchise of the United Soccer Leagues' Premier Development League has scheduled a pair of exhibition games against FC Dallas, a charter member of Major League Soccer.

First up is a game at 7 tonight at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, with FC Dallas making a return trip to face the Sockers at 7:30 p.m. July 7 at Grande Communications Stadium in Midland.

Sockers general manager Monty Hoppel had hoped to put on an exhibition event with one or more MLS teams before his team began its inaugural PDL campaign.

Hoppel was plenty happy, though, with the announcement that next month's game is set in stone.

"We both knew we wanted to play and the biggest thing was just the schedule, just trying to find the right time to do an exhibition game," Hoppel said. "We were trying to schedule the first game ever played out here to be against an MLS team, but the Sockers were not really formed at that time (with a full roster), so it was hard to play in the spring."

The Sockers (2-1-2, 8 points) have not lost since their season opener May 1 in El Paso, including a 4-0 victory Saturday night against the DFW Tornados. They stand in a fourth-place tie in the PDL's Mid South Standings.

Of course, facing fellow teams in the PDL won't be anything like the test tonight in Frisco or next month in Midland as FC Dallas becomes the first team to play a game of any kind in the Permian Basin.

FC Dallas general manager Michael Hitchcock - pleased after his team's 3-0 victory Sunday knocked Chicago from the ranks of the MLS unbeaten - was on hand for the announcement.

"The goal of the trip is multiple," Hitchcock said. "One is getting some of our great young players the chance to play against some really good competition in a meaningful event in front of fans and in a nice stadium. It's also an opportunity to promote soccer in an area we know is a growing fan base for FC Dallas and Major League Soccer.

"In large part thanks to Monty's persistence and professionalism, we made this thing happen and hopefully it'll become an annual event."

In the American soccer pyramid, MLS is the top level and is followed by franchises under the USL umbrella - USL-1, USL-2 and the PDL. Players in USL-1 and USL-2 are paid, while the PDL has unpaid players who mostly are still in college or just beginning post-scholastic careers.

MLS teams occasionally play others from the USL or PDL in the annual Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup or in early-season exhibitions.

The July 7 game in Midland comes just after the Sockers close their home regular-season schedule with a July 4 game against El Paso. FC Dallas only has three games in July and already has been knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup.

Hitchcock said he hopes to showcase his team's five players -Anthony Wallace, Kyle Davies, Josh Lambo, Brek Shea and Peri Marseovic - who are in the running to represent the United States at the Under-20 World Cup later this year in Egypt.

Likewise, the exhibition games will be a chance for Sockers players to catch a few eyes and help make a career out of the sport.

Though the goals for the teams will differ, it should be an event for Permian Basin fans to see the sport at a high level.

"It's fitting, I think, to have FC Dallas first because that's the team our fans most identify with because everybody goes to watch them play," Hoppel said, noting numerous trips by club teams to catch games in Frisco or participate in Metroplex tournaments. "There are some MLS teams besides FC Dallas that want to come and play maybe a game or two in the spring.

"We'd love to have FC Dallas versus Houston in an exhibition game all by itself. We'll continue to be pursuing teams and we've got calls in with other MLS teams to let them all know we're in the business of trying to schedule exhibition games."