FC Dallas Advances In CONCACAF Play
via FC Dallas
PANAMA CITY – Despite falling 2-1 at Panamanian champions Arabe Unido, FC Dallas advanced to the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals for the first time in club history with a 5-2 aggregate win.
FC Dallas will face 2016 Liga MX Clausura champions CF Pachuca in the semifinals beginning on either March 14th or 15th at Toyota Stadium in Frisco.
FC Dallas took the lead in Panama in the 23rd minute as a cross from Michael Barrios caused an own goal from the Arabe Unido defense giving FCD a priceless away goal that effectively killed off any hope for the Panamanians.
The rest of the first half was played at a relatively slow pace with the result well in hand for the road side who held a 5-0 aggregate lead.
In the second half, FC Dallas brought on Atiba Harris and Cristian Colman on a double change at halftime, but the big moment came in the 64th minute as 17-year-old Homegrown midfielder Paxton Pomykal replaced Kellyn Acosta to make his professional debut.
The Panamanian side scored a late equalizer as Roberto Chen headed in a cross to pull the sides level on the night. Arabe Unido would then find a late-second winner as Leslie Heraldez headed in another goal with the last touch of the match. However, it would merely be a consolation for the Panamanians as FC Dallas advanced 5-2 on aggregate.
In the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals for the first time in club history, FC Dallas will face 2016 Liga MX Clausura champions CF Pachuca in a matchup of two of the best sides in the region.
The first leg of the two-leg series will be on either March 14th or 15th at Toyota Stadium while the return leg at Pachuca’s Estadio Hidalgo will be April 4-6. Tickets for the CCL semifinal first leg at Toyota Stadium are now on sale. Tickets are $20 general admission for general public and $10 for FC Dallas Season Ticket Members.
FC Dallas will open the 2017 MLS Regular Season on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Los Angeles to face the Galaxy at StubHub Center in a match that kicks off at 3:00PM central time on Univision.
