FC Dallas Tops Philadelphia

via FC Dallas

FRISCO, Texas – FC Dallas (3-0-3) defeated the Philadelphia Union, 2-0, Saturday night at Toyota Stadium to remain unbeaten in MLS play this season.

Homegrown right back Reggie Cannon sped up the right flank and was rewarded with an outlet pass from Michael Barrios in the sixth minute of the match. Cannon took the ball to FC Dallas’ attacking third before sending a pass back to Barrios. The Colombian’s centering pass skipped through the area before being cleared away for FCD’s first corner of the match, which produced a headed shot on goal by Cristian Colman.

A give-and-go between Colman and Santiago Mosquera, who was making his second MLS start, put FC Dallas’ No. 11 in alone against Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake in the 21st minute. Mosquera tried to slip a left-footed shot past Blake, but his low shot went just wide of the post.

One-minute later Barrios had a breakaway chance of his own and attempted to slip a low shot by Blake but the Union goalkeeper made his third save of the match in the 22nd minute.

Mosquera made a sliding interception of a pass in the 34th minute. After getting back on his feet, the winger ran at Philadelphia’s back line and let a hard shot fly. Once again Blake came up with a save, this one a diving left-handed block to keep the match scoreless.

Just before halftime, Blake made his fifth save of the match on a shot from inside the area by Mosquera. The Colombian made a well-timed run and Roland Lamah found him with a perfectly-weighted through ball. Mosquera’s shot looked to have beaten Blake, but the ‘keeper pushed it up and over the bar at the last second.

The FC Dallas defense finished the first half without allowing a shot on goal.

Philadelphia’s first shot came in the 58th minute from Union winger David Accam, who came free well inside the area and volleys a cross on goal. FC Dallas’ Jimmy Maurer dove low, to his right side, to make the save but the left the rebound out in front of goal. A split second later, Philadelphia’s C.J. Sapong hit a follow-up attempt but Maurer was able to reach up, across his body with his left hand to make a second, more spectacular save, to keep his MLS-best 0.50 goals against average intact.

The match turned on the save from Maurer and four minutes later FC Dallas’ Matt Hedges was fouled in the box by Philadelphia defender Auston Trusty on the home side’s season-high 11th corner kick of the game. Referee Alan Kelly pointed to the spot and Mauro Diaz sent Blake the wrong direction on the ensuing penalty to give FCD a 1-0 lead.

Maxi Urruti scored to make it 2-0 in the 74th minute on an assist from Lamah, his third of the season, matching his season high from 2017 in just the sixth game of the season. Lamah’s outside-of-the-foot pass curled into the path of Urruti, who had just come on the pitch five minutes earlier. The striker took the chance well, walking around Blake before smacking a pinpoint shot under the hands of the goalkeeper and out of the reach of backtracking Union defender, Trusty.

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