It was a must win game for FC Dallas, and they needed some early season grit and an aging Guatemalan veteran to come from behind and regain first place in the race for the Supporters Shield.
Maxi Urruti started things off by doing what he does best, pressuring defenders when they are on the ball. He won the ball and it came to Barrios who played it to Mauro Diaz at the top of the box. Diaz threaded a great ball up to Urruti, running in behind the defense. His first touch almost lifted it over Stefan Frei but the Seattle keeper was quick enough to close the distance and get a vital block.
Kellyn Acosta almost cost his team with a reckless retaliatory push to Alvaro Fernandez in the 26th minute. Referee Mark Geiger kept his card in his pocket, but Acosta received some on field justice when he was fouled by Cristian Roldan a minute later. He was down for a minute holding his side but managed to continue to play.
Probably the biggest point of contention in the match came when Herculez Gomez had a goal disallowed in the 34th minute. There was some confusion about what the call was, but after the game coach Brian Schmetzer said he was told by the fourth official that “Roman had charged into the goalkeeper ” before the ball fell to Gomez.
Acosta went down again a few moments later and had to be helped off the field and was replaced by Victor Ulloa.
Nicolas Lodiero was breaking FC Dallas fan’s hearts in the 41st minute with an amazing free kick that beat Seitz low, to his right and just into the bottom right corner of the net.
Things were starting to look dire as the game ground on into the second half, but Seattle lost their best defensive player to an injury in the 63rd minute and that led to much better chances for the home team. Dallas was finally able to break through in the 79th minute when Hedges headed down from a Mauro Diaz free kick and the ball was blocked on the line. Frei was unable to get to the ball and Urruti poked it home to level the score.
And finally in the 89th minute, Carlos Ruiz made Toyota Stadium explode with joy. Diaz chipped a ball over the top of the defense and Ruiz hit it first time out of the air with his outstretched boot into the upper left side of the net. Frei had absolutely no chance on the shot and just like that the doom and gloom of more points lost at home turned into joy.
There was still drama to be had as Seitz had to save Frei’s header on a corner kick with almost the last play of the game.
Unfortunately for Dallas fans, that joy could fade as Diaz was having to be stretchered off the field after going off with an injury near the very end of the game. The team remains very much in control of their chances to win the Supporter’s Shield, but they also have a very long week. Travel will take them to Guatemala for a must-win Champion’s League match on Thursday, and then the team flies to LA for the final match of the season next weekend. A win or a draw against LA will see them win a second trophy this season.
Lineups:
FC Dallas (4-2-3-1, left to right): Chris Seitz – Ryan Hollingshead, Matt Hedges, Walker Zimmerman, Ryan Hollingshead – Kellyn Acosta (Victor Ulloa 37′ (Carlos Ruiz 76′)), Carlos Gruezo – Michael Barrios, Mauro Diaz(C), Tesho Akindele (Mauro Rosales 66′) – Maximiliano Urruti
Seattle Sounders FC (4-2-3-1): Stefan Frei – Joevin Jones, Chad Marshall (Zach Scott 63′), Roman Torres(C), Tyrone Mears – Erik Friberg, Cristian Roldan – Herculez Gomez (Oniel Fisher 87′), Nicolas Lodeiro, Alvaro Fernandez (Aaron Kovar 73′) – Jordan Morris
