FC Dallas Tops Arabe Unido in CCL Quarterfinals

via FC Dallas

FRISCO (Thursday, Feb. 23) – FC Dallas’ Cristian Colman, Kellyn Acosta and Michael Barriosfound the back of the net in a 4-0 win against Arabe Unido tonight at Toyota Stadium.

Roland Lamah nearly scored his first goal for FC Dallas in the 10th minute. Hernan Grana started the sequence by cutting back on the right flank and sending a cross towards the back post. Arabe Unido goalkeeper Miguel Loyd came off his line to punch the attempt away, but Lamah found the rebound at the top of the area and fired a hard shot low towards the post. Fortunately for Unido, Loyd recovered to make a diving save to his left side to keep the game tied, 0-0.

Lamah found the back of the net six minutes later on a feed from Maxi Urruti. The winger finished his chance crisply but the goal was called back by referee Ricardo Montero after his assistant ruled Lamah offsides on the play.

Another offseason acquisition, striker Cristian Colman broke through for Dallas in the 30th minute. The striker caught up to a header played over the top of Arabe Unido’s back line by midfielder Carlos Gruezo, and hammered a volley, low into the far side netting to make it 1-0.

Walker Zimmerman intercepted a pass at midfield and sent Colman in on goal to start the second half. The Paraguayan headed the ball out in front of him and struck another volley attempt towards the post but Loyd got down to his left side and batted the shot over the end line for a corner kick.

Plano-native Kellyn Acosta gave FC Dallas a 2-0 lead in the 55th minute when Lamah received a pass well inside the area, cut back and delivered a perfect pass to the midfielder at the top of the box. Acosta struck the ball with his first touch, bending a right-footed shot past Loyd and into the top right corner of the goal.

Acosta scored his second of the game in the 86th minute after finding space in the middle of the field, just outside the area. Tesho held the ball on the left flank and drew three defenders before feeding Acosta the ball. The 21-year-old U.S. international turned as he received his pass and beat Loyd to his right side with another right-footed shot to give FCD a 3-0 lead in the home and home series.

Just before the final whistle, Michael Barrios opened his 2017 account after receiving a pass inside the area from Tesho. Barrios finished his chance well, striking a low shot across the face of goal and into the far side netting to give Dallas a four-goal cushion heading into the second leg of the series on Wednesday, March 1 in Panama.