FC Dallas lost a 1-0 decision to D.C. United in the final of the ATX Pro Challenge today at Mike A. Meyers Stadium.  The lone goal of the match was scored by D.C. United’s Chris Rolfe in the 54^th minute.

FC Dallas now returns to Toyota Stadium, where it will face D.C. United again this Friday, Feb. 20. The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT.

Today’s match began with D.C. United’s Chris Pontius releasing Nick DeLeon in alone against FC Dallas’ Dan Kennedy in just the third minute. Kennedy stood his ground and was able to force the midfielder to push his shot wide of the left post, keeping the score level early in the game.

FC Dallas’ Mauro Diaz nearly gave his side a 1-0 lead in the 20^th minute after Atiba Harris won a header in the attacking third of the field. Diaz waited for the ball to hop up for him before hammering a volley that dipped over the head of D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid and just missed the crossbar.

Ryan Hollingshead tested Hamid again in the 24^th minute. Off a FC Dallas corner kick taken by Michel, Hollingshead eluded his marker and redirected a shot towards the back post. Hollingshead would have had his third goal of the ATX Pro Challenge if not for Hamid, who made a solid diving save to his left side.

Fabian Castillo nearly broke through just before halftime when Michel played a long ball up the left flank. Castillo caught up to the pass, went around a defender and tried to pick out the inside of the far post with a low shot but once again Hamid was in position to make a diving save to his left side.

Rolfe gave his side a 1-0 lead in the 54^th minute following a free kick taken by Fabian Espindola on the right flank. Espindola tired to bend a shot around the wall but David Texeira was able to step in front and head the ball away from goal, towards the top of the area. Rolfe was there to collect the loose ball before side-stepping a defender and picking out the upper-90 of the far post with a right-footed shot.

Danny Garcia nearly leveled the match in the 89^th minute after Castillo and Kyle Bekker combined to set up the Homegrown midfielder. Garcia received the pass at the far corner of the six-yard box and cracked a hard shot back across the face of goal but Hamid made a third diving save to his left side to secure the victory for D.C. United.

Scoring Summary:

DCU – Chris Rolfe 54

FC Dallas – Dan Kennedy (Jesse Gonzalez 76), Aurelio Saco-Vertiz (Moises Hernandez 26), Walker Zimmerman, Matt Hedges (Otis Earle 79), Atiba Harris (Jaineil Hoilett 75), Victor Ulloa (Kyle Bekker 64), Michel (Juan Toja 78), Fabian Castillo, Mauro Diaz (Danny Garcia 64), Ryan Hollingshead (Damian Rosales 65), David Texeira (Blas Perez 73).

Substitutes Not Used: Chris Seitz, Aaron Meyer, Will Seymore, Tesho Akindele, Zach Loyd.

Total Shots: 11 (Fabian Castillo 3); Offsides: 0; Corners 4; Saves: 2 (Dan Kennedy, Jesse Gonzalez 1).

D.C. United – Bill Hamid, Taylor Kemp (Misho 78), Sean Franklin (trailist 78), Bobby Boswell (Makenzie 78), Markus Halsti (Kofi Opare 78), Davy Arnaud (Michael Farfan 74), Chris Pontius (Jairo Arrieta 78), Nick DeLeon (David Estrada 78), Chris Rolfe (Miguel Aguilar 65), Perry Kitchen (Jared Jeffery 78), Fabian Espindola (Conor Doyle 78).

Total Shots: 8 (Nick DeLeon 2); Offsides: 2; Corners: 1; Saves: 5 (Bill Hamid 5).

Misconduct Summary:
DCU – Davy Arnaud (caution) 13
DAL – Fabian Castillo (caution) 70
DAL – Juan Toja (caution) 84

Referee: Younes Marrakchi
Referee’s Assistants: Jonathan Johnson, Hilario Grajeda
Weather: Cloudy, 66 degrees

Source: FC Dallas