FRISCO, Texas -- It had taken 347 minutes to do so, but once they scored, a cascade of chances followed as FC Dallas fought back to defeat the Portland Timbers 2-1 Wednesday night at Toyota Stadium. The comeback was keyed by a second half in which the team found its scoring groove once again.
After having gone down 1-0 to the Timbers just three minutes in via a Diego Valeri goal, things looked grim for a team that had been outscored 8-0 in three previous games, all road losses. However, the second half signaled a renewed scoring spirit –– one that came from rather unlikely sources.
“Our offense has been getting chances,” said defender Ryan Hollingshead, the first FC Dallas player to score since April 17 against Sporting Kansas City. “We were getting into the box and having chances to score – we just couldn’t find the net.”
That changed Wednesday night, when the ball, quite literally, bounced the team's way as a blocked pass by Portland’s Darren Mattocks landed right back at Hollingshead’s feet, who coolly drove into the box and sent his shot to the left corner of the goal to tie the game.
Hollingshead noted that when the team is struggling to score, however the ball can get in the goal, they’ll take it.
“Sometimes you need one to go in so you can kind of relax. Once the monkey is off your back, you can start playing,” he said.
The win, however, didn’t come easy as for the fourth straight game, the team gave up the first goal at home and had to battle back in order to maintain their 11-game unbeaten run at Toyota Stadium, something Walker Zimmerman, who scored the game-winning goal, applauded.
“To come from behind, like we did, it shows the resiliency and character of this team,” the defender said. “Keep fighting. Keep battling, especially after giving up such an early goal.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the guys. It was a great team effort tonight.”
As the team turns their attention to another 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs rematch as the Seattle Sounders come to town, coach Oscar Pareja is thankful for his team’s performance after fighting back from both a losing streak and a first-half deficit.
“The second half was different,” Pareja said. “We had more energy. I thought we had more ideas in the middle. The first half we had some options. The second half we had more options, and the game just went back and forth. I thought it was a game we needed to win.
“We got the three points today, and the soccer is just now coming back to our team. We’ll get there.”
