FC Dallas Loses At Chicago
via FC Dallas
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – FC Dallas dropped their first road match of the season on Thursday night, 2-1, to the Chicago Fire in the second leg of a stretch with three games in nine days for FCD.
Chicago took a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the match when Bastian Schweinsteiger crossed a ball to the back post for Brandon Vincent. The Fire’s left back sent in a dangerous dipping cross that found potent goal-scorer Nemanja Nikolic in a crowd of bodies inside the six-yard box. The striker turned his 11th goal of the year with the slightest of touches to give Chicago a one-goal advantage.
FC Dallas answered three minutes later when Atiba Harris won a header at the corner of the six-yard box. Forward Cristian Colman gave chase to the loose ball and stretched to get his foot on a clearance attempt. The ensuing 50-50 ball was gobbled up by Roland Lamah, who turned the corner and knocked a simple pass into the back of the net to make it a 1-1 game.
Chicago took a 2-1 lead in the ninth minute when David Accam brought down a pass on the right flank and ran at a defender. Accam sprinted free, into the center of the pitch, before cracking a hard shot low towards the back post. FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz got his fingertips to the ball but was unable to keep it out of the back of the net.
FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja brought on Javier Morales and Michael Barrios in the middle of the second half and the visitors began producing scoring opportunities consistently in the 77th minute.
Atiba Harris sent a cross to the back post that sat up perfectly for Tesho Akindele. The forward made a second pass, to Morales, who had an open look at the top of the box, but the Argentine could not keep his shot on frame.
Dallas earned three more set piece opportunities by the 83rd minute but could not produce any clear shots on goal.
Seitz kept a draw within reach with a huge save on a point-blank chance by Jununho in the 89th minute.
The Fire were also awarded a penalty kick by referee Jose Carlos Rivero just before the final whistle but Seitz read Nikolic’s approach and made an outstanding save, diving to the post to swat the attempt away with his left hand.
