Tesho Akindele and Maximiliano Urruti celebrate the equalizer. Photo credit: Olivia Brestal
It was a competitive match at Toyota Stadium as FC Dallas faced Columbus Crew SC, two teams that could definitely play late into the playoffs this season.
Mauro Diaz was rested after some muscle tightness in training on Friday, so it was another test of squad depth for FC Dallas. Columbus has had a slow start to the season, coming into the game with two losses and a draw, but it did not take very long for them to get on the score sheet.
On the first corner for Columbus in the 8th minute, Federico Higuain floated a perfect ball onto the head of Justin Meram who put the ball past Chris Seitz.
A wonderful passing sequence from FC Dallas in the 25th minute between Michael Barrios, Kellyn Acosta, and Maximiliano Urruti resulted in a Barrios shot fizzing just past the post. Minutes later Columbus player Ethan Finlay got free down the right and centered the ball on the ground toward Meram, but his shot from 12 yards out was saved by Seitz.
Seitz, who had a man of the match performance, continued his excellent shot stopping in the second half to keep FC Dallas in the game.
As the second half wore on, it seemed that FC Dallas left the “on target” editions of their shooting boots in the locker room. Dallas fired off a total of 17 shots by the 76th minute, with only three of those managing to make it on target.
Fortunately for Dallas the ball finally bounced their way in the 77th minute when Urruti fired a shot off the post that ricocheted off the back of a diving Steve Blake. The ball trickled towards the goal line and Tesho Akindele, who was substituted in at the half, reacted quickest to kick the ball into the net for the equalizer.
Seitz was still required to keep things level with another point blank save when Kei Kamara got free in front of goal in the first minute of stoppage time.
This was not the 8th straight victory at home that FC Dallas was hoping for coming into the game, but Seitz seemed happy for a point against a very tough opponent:
We left some points out there tonight but at the same time, we understand how good of a team Columbus is. Anytime you can [grind]out points is good. One point is a lot better than zero.
F.C. Dallas will next play host to the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday the 9th, while Columbus will travel to Montreal to take on the Impact.
Columbus Crew
