In their first match of the 2017 preseason and first match of a ten-day trip to Argentina, FC Dallas fell to Argentine champions Lanus 1-0 in a 120-minute match at Estadio Ciudad de Lanus in Buenos Aires.
First 40 minutes
Lineup(4-4-2): Gonzalez, Figueroa, Zimmerman, Hedges, Cannon, Gruezo, Acosta, Pomykal, Lamah, Urruti, Colman
FC Dallas first unit nearly opened the scoring in the fifth minute, when a ball out of the back was bought down by Maxi Urruti at the top of the box. Urruti had trouble getting a clean touch on the ball, but was able to get off a second-touch volley that the Lanus goalkeeper fought off, before the rebound was recovered by a Lanus defender at the back post.
FCD remained under pressure for the next several minutes with Maynor Figueroa jumping in front to block a point- blank chance for Lanus at the back post following a nice buildup near the 10-minute mark.
Carlos Gruezo relieved the pressure for Dallas, playing a long clearance to Colman on the right flank in the 15th minute. Colman looked content to hold the ball near the flag before exploding towards goal, cutting through a pair of defenders, and firing a low shot towards the far post. Once again, the Lanus goalkeeper was up to the task. He charged off his line to deny FCD's newest striker of his first goal.
Wingers Paxton Pomykal and Roland Lamah connected front to back well, often tucking inside to combine with Gruezo, Kellyn Acosta and the two forwards.
Roland Lamah played a one-two pass with Acosta in the 20th minute, darting inside and most of the way across the pitch before slipping a pass inside to Colman. A second give and go returned the ball to Lamah, who made the final pass to Maxi Urruti, but the Argentine's shot sailed well high of the crossbar.
Another strong buildup by Lanus yielded another chance for the home side in the 28th minute. The club's No. 9 held the ball up well prior to tapping a simple pass to his left. The return pass came immediately and the big striker attempted to curl a shot inside the far post but goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez swiped the ball out of the air and out for a corner kick.
Acosta issued a professional foul in the 37th minute. Lanus stepped to the free kick, lining a shot over the wall and on goal, but once again Gonzalez was in position and slapped the shot over the crossbar to keep the clean sheet for the first half.
Second 40 minutes
Lineup(4-2-3-1): Gonzalez, Chala, Guillen, Harris, Grana, Cemeno,Hayes, Barrios(Rosales 25), Pomykal, Reid, Ferreira
FC Dallas' leading co-leading scorer in 2016, Michael Barrios instantly connected with Hernan Grana 's overlapping run up the right flank to begin the second half. The Argentine right back found Pomykal in the middle and the young creative midfielder found the run of Adonijah Reid at the back post. Reid collected the pass and got off a shot but once again the Lanus goalkeeper was in position to make the save.
Reid got off a cross in the 52nd minute and Jesus Ferreira needed only half a touch to put Carlos Cermeno in a position to score. The Venezuelan fired a shot at the back post but a defender got just enough of the attempt to push it wide of the bar.
Third 40 minutes
Lineup: Avilez(Academy), Chala(Guillen 20), Hume, Harris, Cannon, Hayes, Barnathan, trialist, Reid, Rosales, Ferreira
FCD Dallas' third unit controlled the ball for the opening 15 minutes of the third, 40-minute frame. Barnathan, Hayes and Hume cutoff and corralled the Lanus attack while Chala and Reid looked for a way through the home side's defense on the left flank.
Reggie Cannon did well to snuff out a Lanus attack in the 105th minute. Lanus' left midfielder received the ball on the left flank and attempted to beat Cannon one-on-one. The former UCLA man cut off the attacker with his left foot and stopped the run before the Midfielder could get to the end line.
Lanus finally broke through in the 110th minute by pressing the young FC Dallas defense high and creating a turnover in a bad position. After blocking an attempted pass the Lanus forward sprinted towards goal and finished off a chance, low to Carlos' left side.
FC Dallas will continue their eight-game, eight-day schedule on Thursday with a match against Argentine giants River Plate.