Road victory pushes Dallas five points clear in Supporters Shield race
HOUSTON, Texas (Saturday, Aug. 27) – FC Dallas (14-7-6, 48 points) got goals from Mauro Diaz and Michael Barrios in a two-minute span of the second half to steal the momentum in a vital 3-1 win against the Houston Dynamo tonight at BBVA Stadium.
Houston had the first good look at FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz in the fifth minute, when Boniek Garcia came free on the right flank, sped into the area and found Mauro Manotas in the center of the area with a pass played in on the ground. Manotas got off the right-footed shot with his first touch, but Seitz, who welcomed his third daughter, Ava Madelyn into the world on Thursday, was able to make a snap save to his right side and keep the score tied, 0-0.
The Dynamo found the back of the net in the 19th minute when Alex received a pass from GarcÃa. Alex beat a pair of would-be defenders and ripped a line drive shot over Seitz’s right shoulder and high into the far side netting to make it 1-0.
Maxi Urruti helped set up Atiba Harris inside the area in the 27th minute. Dallas’ lone striker cut in front of a Dynamo defender before lofting a pass to Harris. The St. Kitts defender got a shot off on the half volley but a second Houston defender blocked the shot out for Dallas’ first corner kick of the match.
Seitz came up with his two more huge saves in the 34th minute. After receiving a through ball, Manotas attempted to slide a ball under the goalkeeper as he charged off his line. Seitz was equal to the task, deflecting a shot out to the left of the post. On the ensuing corner kick, the ball fell to a wide-open Eric Alexander. The former FC Dallas midfielder tried to beat Seitz to his right, just inside the near post, but the University of Maryland product pushed the attempt wide of his right post.
FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja sparked his side by bringing on Tesho for Mauro Rosales in the 55th minute. Three minutes later the move paid off as the Canadian international took a shot from the top of the area that caught the left hand of Dynamo defender Raúl RodrÃguez, earning a penalty kick for the visitors.
Diaz took the ensuing penalty for FCD, sending goalkeeper Joe Willis to his right before depositing the ball in the opposite corner of the net to make it, 1-1. The goal was Diaz’s fourth of the season.
Seconds later, Dallas took a 2-1 lead when Maynor Figueroa played a 60-yard pass up the heart of the pitch to Barrios. The Colombian collected the pass and chipped Wills from just inside the area to give Dallas its first lead of the game.
Dallas withstood a barrage of chances as Houston tried to fight its way back into the match until the 79th minute, when Tesho broke free on a counter attack down the center of the field. Tesho beat his man with a step to his left before slipping a pass to Barrios on the right side of the area. The Colombian calmly stroked home an insurance goal with a bending first-touch shot that curled around Willis and into the far side netting.
Barrios’ goal was his team-leading eighth goal of the season and an MLS high for the Colombian.
Scoring Summary:
HOU – Alex (Boniek GarcÃa) 19
DAL – Mauro Diaz (PK) 59
DAL – Michael Barrios (Maynor Figueroa) 60
DAL – Michael Barrios (Tesho) 79
FC Dallas – Chris Seitz, Maynor Figueroa, Matt Hedges, Walker Zimmerman, Atiba Harris, Kellyn Acosta, Carlos Gruezo, Mauro Rosales (Tesho Akindele 55), Mauro Diaz, Michael Barrios (Ryan Hollingsead 85), Maxi Urruti (Victor Ulloa 72).
Substitutes Not Used: Jesse Gonzalez, Aubrey David, Victor Ulloa, Ryan Hollingshead, Getterson, Juan Esteban Ortiz.
Houston Dynamo – Joe Willis, Raul Rodriguez, Jalil Anibaba, Agus (David Horst 42), Alex, Boniek Garcia, Eric Alexander (Ricardo Clark 64), Collen Warner (Erick Torres 73), Cristian Maidana, Mauro Manotas.
Substitutes Not Used: Abdoulie Mansally, Rob Lovejoy, Calle Brown, Jose Escalante.
Misconduct Summary:
HOU – Erick Torres (caution) 90+3
Referee: Kevin Stott
AR1 (bench): Chris Strickland; AR2 (opposite): Brian Poeschel; 4th: Nima Saghafi
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 81
Attendance: 18,769
