PORTLAND, Ore. -- The biggest week of Oscar Pareja's coaching life became the most emotionally difficult after the passing of his mother, Martha.
Pareja's mother passed away on Thursday, and the FC Dallas manager immediately flew to Barranquilla, Colombia for the funeral. He arrived in Portland on Saturday night in time for Sunday's Western Conference final first leg match against the Portland Timbers. The players wore black armbands in honor of Pareja's mother on a night that saw them fall to Portland 3-1.
"It's been a difficult week for sure," said Pareja after the match. "I don't have the words to tell you how difficult it has been.
"I was very happy to be with my players today, and I'm a person that admired these players a lot in the good times, the difficult times. After a week that creates a lot of emotions in my family, I came back and find a group that is willing to do what we do, and that relieved my spirit."
After falling behind 2-0 on goals from Liam Ridgewell and Dairon Asprilla, Dallas secured a vital away goal courtesy of a David Texeira strike. But Nat Borcher's stoppage-time tally restored the Timbers' two-goal lead heading into next Sunday's second leg in Dallas.
"We're a family here, so every time we step on the field we're working for each other," said Dallas defender Ryan Hollingshead.
"This circumstance gives a little bit of a chip on our shoulder and something to work for even more, but that's obviously not the result we wanted to give to [Pareja]."
After watching his side mount a stellar comeback against the Seattle Sounders in the previous round that ended with Dallas prevailing via a penalty shootout, Pareja remains confident that FCD will secure the needed result at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
"I believe in this group. I know this group can do it," he said. "We have the talent and the character and the energy to do it. Sometimes we put ourselves in a spot that is not necessary.
"But that's the game and once again, this is the team that I trust and we'll do it. We'll do it in Frisco."