Maxi Urruti scores game-winner in 11th minute
- Jesse Gonzalez makes season-high nine saves on his 23rd birthday
- Maxi Urruti takes over the team lead with sixth goal
- FC Dallas defense earns fourth shutout
- FC Dallas’ next training session is at Toyota Soccer Center on
- Next up: FCD travels to take on the LA Galaxy – Wednesday, May 30 at Toyota Stadium (9:30 PM on TXA 21)
FRISCO, Texas – FC Dallas (5-1-5) downed the defending MLS Cup Champions, Toronto FC, 1-0, tonight at BMO Field.
FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez, making his first start of the 2018 MLS season on his 23rd birthday, made two diving saves on prolific Toronto FC striker Giovinco within the opening five minutes. The first save denied the forward of a free-kick goal. From 23-yards out, Giovinco curled a shot up and over the wall. The shot looked destined for the top corner but Gonzalez dove across his line to slap the chance away.
Gonzalez didn’t get a good look at Giovinco’s second attempt. The forward crept into the space at the top of the back post and then cracked a bouncing ball on goal with his second touch, bending the shot around defender Reggie Cannon. Gonzalez caught sight of the ball at the last second, pushing the attempt to an FC Dallas defender with his left hand.
Left winger Santiago Mosquera attacked down the left flank and got a cross off from the end line in the 11th minute. A late-arriving run from Kellyn Acosta put the midfielder perfect position to score from the top of the box but the Homegrown opted to knock a sharp pass inside to Maxi Urruti. The Argentine redirected the shot past Toronto goalkeeper Clint Irwin to give FCD a 1-0 lead.
The goal was Urruti’s team-leading sixth goal of the season.
Christopher Penso awarded a penalty kick to Toronto FC in the 15th minute, when Maynor Figueroa caught the heel of Giovinco at the top of the box. The Italian forward stepped in to take the kick, but Gonzalez read him perfectly and made another diving save to his left side to preserve the 1-0 lead.
Gonzalez equaled the FCD season-high for saves this season (previously 6 held by Jimmy Maruer vs. NE on April 14) in the 34th minute. A cross from the right side from Toronto’s Auro was headed low and to the corner of the goal by Victor Vazquez. A goal on any other day, Gonzalez made a diving save to his right side and then had the composure to stop Tosaint Ricketts, who put the rebound on target while the goalkeeper was still on the ground.
The FC Dallas defense tightened up in the second half, limiting Toronto FC to a single shot on goal until the 91st minute of match when Toronto’s Jonathan Osorio came free at the top of the box. The midfielder tried to chip a right-footed over the head of Gonzalez. The Homegrown recovered, back-peddling towards the goal line before reaching up to push the ball over the bar for his ninth save of the night, three off the franchise record held by Mark Dodd (12 on September 19, 1998).
Lineup:
FC Dallas – Jesse Gonzalez, Maynor Figueroa, Matt Hedges, Reto Ziegler, Reggie Cannon, Victor Ulloa, Jacori Hayes, Kellyn Acosta (Carlos Gruezo 73), Santiago Mosquera (Mauro Diaz 80), Maxi Urruti, Michael Barrios (Roland Lamah 69).
Substitutes not used: Jimmy Maurer, Cristian Colman, Tesho Akindele, Ryan Hollingshead.
Toronto FC – Clint Irwin, Auro, Gregory van der Wiel, Michael Bradley, Chris Mavinga (Nick Hagglund 45), Jonathan Osorio, Victor Vazquez, Ryan Telfer, Liam Fraser, Tosaint Ricketts (Jay Chapman 59), Sebastian Giovinco.
Substitutes not used: Caleb Patterson-Sewell, Jason Hernandez, Mariano Mino, Jordan Hamilton, Ayo Akinola.
Scoring Summary:
DAL: Maxi Urruti (Kellyn Acosta, Santiago Mosquera) 11
Misconduct Summary:
DAL: Maynor Figueroa (caution) 15
TOR: Ryan Telfer (caution) 17
TOR: Auro (caution) 61
DAL: Michael Barrios (caution) 64
DAL: Matt Hedges (caution) 67
DAL: Mauro Diaz (caution) 90+7
DAL: Carlos Gruezo (caution) 90+7
DAL: Maxi Urruti (caution) 90+8
Weather: Sunny, 76 degrees
Attendance: -
Referee: Christopher Penso
Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Logan Brown
4th Official: Alejandro Mariscal
VAR: Geoff Gamble
