FRISCO, Texas (Saturday, March 19) – FC Dallas’ Argentine attackers, Mauro Diaz and Maxi Urruti found the back of the net in the 79th and 87th minutes to lead FC Dallas to its second shutout victory at Toyota Stadium this season.
Dallas nearly took an early lead when Fabian Castillo played a through ball forward on to the run of Maxi Urruti. The Argentine forward beat Montreal goalkeeper Evan Bush to the ball and rounded the ‘keeper but was unable to beat defender Laurent Ciman to the near post. Limited by backtracking defenders, Urruti was forced to shoot from a tough angle. Ciman reacted perfectly heading the ball off the line to keep the game scoreless.
Dallas created more chances than the visitors in the first half, holding a 55-45 edge in possession and seven shots to the Impact’s two.
FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez did not make his first save of the match until the 38th minute. Montreal’s Ignacio Piatti set the table for Lucas Ontivero after saving the ball from crossing the end line. Piatti’s first-touch pass came to Ontivero’s right foot but Gonzalez set his feet at the front post, knocked down the low shot and covered the rebound.
Winger Michael Barrios created two chances for FC Dallas to start off the second half. The first produced an opportunity for the Colombian to shoot from a tough angle so Barrios opted to cross the ball across the top of the six-yard box. The pass skipped away from its intended target but Ryan Hollingshead got on the end of the ball and attempted to pick out the top corner of the near post. Unfortunately for Dallas, Hollingshead, who was making his first start of the season, put his shot well wide of the bar.
Seconds later, Barrios showed his range, tracking back to make a vital tackle inside FC Dallas’ penalty area.
Castillo streaked down the left flank and turned a pair of defenders inside out before firing a shot towards the back post in the 63rd minute. The midfielder was denied by a diving, left-handed save from Bush, but the chance sparked continued pressure from the FC Dallas offense.
Dallas’ first strike came in the 79th minute on a free kick by Mauro Diaz. The Argentine drew the foul that led to the free kick and then curled a right-footed shot over the wall of defenders and off the bottom of the crossbar from 20 yards out. The shot from Diaz looked effortless but gave Bush no chance to make a save.
FC Dallas’ second goal came in the 87th minute. Urruti’s second goal of the season was special. The Argentine cracked a first-touch shot from the top of the area that whistled over Bush’s head and dipped hard to duck below the crossbar and into the far side netting. Tesho Akindele earned an assist on the goal after winning the long ball header out of the back and helping it to run on towards Montreal’s goal.
Gonzalez made his second save of the match on a point-blank attempt by Anthony Jackson-Hamel in the 89th minute to pick up his second clean sheet of the young 2016 season.
