Mauro Diaz celebrates the early penalty with his teammates. Photo credit: Ziro Castellanos
FC Dallas continued their Pacific Northwest dominance this week with a victory at Toyota Stadium against Seattle Sounders.
For the last four home games, FC Dallas has given up the first goal of the game in the first half, with three of those goals coming in the first 10 minutes of the game. Tonight the tide would turn in favor of FC Dallas.
Clint Dempsey got free behind the FC Dallas defense in the first minute to shoot wide, and Dallas came right back down the field and won a corner in the second minute. The corner came in and Frei saved, but Seattle could not clear the ball. Chad Marshall pulled Walker Zimmerman down in the area while challenging for the loose ball and referee, Ricardo Salazar, pointed to the spot.
Mauro Diaz stepped up to take the penalty in the third minute, cooly putting it past Stefan Frei into the roof of the net.
Both teams were going back and forth as the half wore on. Seitz was on call again in the 16th minute when he saved at his feet after Joevin Jones got in behind the defense. Several minute laster, Jordan Morris had a good header, but put the shot straight at Seitz. Almost immediately, FC Dallas marched right back down the field and won a corner. It was that type of game for the first part of the half, but the tiredness of playing a second game in four days slowed things down after that.
After the second half started, both teams seemed content to possess the ball. The first two substitutions for Dallas were anything but offensive minded: Kellyn Acosta came in for Tesho Akindele in the 55th minute and Atiba Harris came on for Fabian Castillo in the 70th minute.
Frei continued his good work with another huge stop in the 58th minute to stonewall Michael Barrios who was played in with another excellent through ball from Mauro Diaz.
Osvaldo Alonso was all over Maruo Diaz whenever he got the ball and that attention was finally penalized in the 76th minute when he fouled DIaz about 25 yards from goal. Diaz put his shot over the wall but also over the goal.
The final substitution for Dallas was a Mauro (Rosales) for Mauro (Diaz) swap in the 79th minute and Diaz was given warm applause for his best performance since coming back from injury.
Rosales first touch of the game would be a beautiful outside of the boot pass over the top for Barrios to chase on the right side of goal. Barrios beat Brad Evans to the ball and slotted into the left side of the net past Frei for his fifth goal of the season.
FC Dallas leading scorer, Michael Barrios is defended by Joevin Jones. Photo credit: Ziro Castellanos
FC Dallas saw the rest of the game out to clinch their first shutout since March, and Seattle remains without a win on the road this season.
FC Dallas
Sounders FC
