FC Dallas Falls At Salt Lake
SANDY, UTAH – FC Dallas lost for just the third time this season, 2-0, on the road to Real Salt Lake tonight at Rio Tinto Stadium.
FC Dallas fell behind early when Kellyn Acosta was whistled for a foul in the area on Real Salt Lake forward Sebastián Saucedo in the ninth minute of the match. Referee Armando Villarreal pointed to the spot and RSL’s Albert Rusnak stepped in to take the free kick. Rusnak buried a hard shot low in the corner of the goal to the right side of FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez, giving the home side a 1-0 lead.
Gonzalez did well to keep it a one-goal game in the 24th minute. Saucedo cut through the middle of the FC Dallas midfield and ripped a shot towards the far upper corner of the goal. Gonzalez back-peddled before making a diving save high to his left side, pushing the shot up and over the bar.
FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja made two subs at the half, bringing on his top two leading scorers, Roland Lamah (7) and Maxi Urruti (6) in place of Michael Barrios and Ema Twumasi.
Urruti nearly found the back of the net on a corner kick in the 52nd minute. Acosta swung a ball in to Matt Hedges, who headed the ball towards goal. Urruti tried to redirect the ball into the back of the net from close range but the attempt was cleared off the line by RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
FC Dallas’ third sub of the match came in the 61st minute. Santiago Mosquera replaced Victor Ulloa and nine minutes later FC Dallas once again came within inches of leveling the match. Mosquera’s corner found Hedges at the top of the six-yard box and the defender pounded a headed shot high towards the front post. RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando was beaten but defender Jefferson Savarino leapt up from his spot at the post to knock the ball off the line for a second time.
With FC Dallas pushing men forward in search of a game-tying goal, Real Salt Lake added an insurance goal on a counter attack in the first minute of stoppage time. Salt Lake’s Damir Kreilach pushed the ball up field to Savarino. The midfielder drew the attention of Gonzalez before sliding a pass to the back post for Luis Silva to finish off, making it a 2-0 final.
