FC Dallas kicked off its 2026 Leagues Cup campaign in winning fashion, defeating Liga MX side Querétaro FC 2-0 on Wednesday night at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium. Second-half goals from Santi Moreno and Joaquín Valiente, along with a standout performance from goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, secured all three points for Dallas in its tournament opener.
After a scoreless first half, FC Dallas broke through just two minutes after the restart. Forward Santi Moreno found the back of the net in the 47th minute, scoring the club’s first goal of the 2026 Leagues Cup. The strike marked Moreno’s second career Leagues Cup goal and continued his strong start since joining Dallas in March, where he has featured in 14 MLS regular-season matches.
Dallas doubled its advantage in the 81st minute when attacking midfielder Joaquín Valiente scored his first goal for the club. The Uruguayan, who already leads FC Dallas with five assists and 21 key passes during the MLS regular season, capped off an impressive all-around performance with the insurance goal.
In goal, Jonathan Sirois delivered one of his best performances of the season, making nine saves to earn his first career Leagues Cup clean sheet. The shutout was his second consecutive across all competitions, with the goalkeeper totaling 18 saves over his last two matches.
Wednesday’s match also marked the Leagues Cup debut for Christian Cappis, Patrickson Delgado, Clay Holstad, Herman Johansson, Kaick, Nolan Norris, Ramiro, Osaze Urhoghide and Valiente.
Holstad made another milestone appearance, earning his first start for FC Dallas and playing the opening 45 minutes. The midfielder made his MLS debut on Aug. 1 against the LA Galaxy after joining the club on loan from USL Championship side Rhode Island FC through the remainder of the 2026 season. Holstad previously worked with FC Dallas head coach Eric Quill during his youth career at Texans SC in Houston.
FC Dallas (1-0-0, 3 points) now turns its attention to its second Leagues Cup match, where it will face Club Deportivo Guadalajara on Saturday, Aug. 8, at PayPal Park in San Jose, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT.
