FRISCO - FC Dallas took their lone U.S.-based preseason match of 2017 on Sunday morning against the SMU Mustangs, 2-0, on the back of a brace from Homegrown Paxton Pomykal.
Lineup (4-4-2): Jesse Gonzalez; Jamie Lovegrove (trialsit), Aaron Guillen, Walker Hume, Reggie Cannon; Anibal Chala, Jacori Hayes, Carlos Cermeno, Mauro Rosales (trialist); Adonijah Reid, Paxton Pomykal.
The 17-year-old got things started in the 10th minute, taking a well-placed pass in traffic from Adonijah Reid at the top of the box and putting a half-volley shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Reid had a scoring chance of his own in the 43rd minute as Anibal Chala played a ball through to an over-lapping Carlos Cermeno along the touch line outside the 18. Cermeno sent a high cross into the area for trialist Mauro Rosales, who couldn't quite connect and the ball fell right to the feet of Reid who's point-blank attempt was blocked by an SMU defender at the goal mouth.
In the second half, it was Chala again creating a chance down the left side in the 57th minute, beating FCD Academy-product Philip Ponder in a foot race to a ball in the corner. The winger sent a low cross to trialist Jamie Lovegrove, but his shot from the top of the area missed its target as he lost footing on the wet grass.
Three minutes later Pomykal and Lovegrove combined on the left side again. The Homegrown worked his way inside the 18 and laid off a ball for in-coming Jacori Hayes, who sent a shot to the top corner stopped only by a highlight reel save from the diving SMU goalkeeper.
Pomykal would notch his second of the match in the 72nd minute when he took a pass from Academy forward Shaft Brewer outside the top left corner of the penalty area, turned and sent a shot low, right corner to give Dallas a 2-0 win.
FC Dallas will begin their 2017 campaign on Thursday night, as Arabe Unido visits Frisco in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal match-up. Tickets are available for just $20 at FCDallas.com/CCL
