Dallas ties longest unbeaten streak in franchise history at 14 games
FRISCO, Texas (Saturday, June 25) – FC Dallas (9-5-4, 31 points) defeated Real Salt Lake (8-4-3, 27 points), 2-0, as Mauro Diaz assisted on goals for Kellyn Acosta and Fabian Castillo, tonight at Toyota Stadium.
FC Dallas’ Diaz won his league-leading 44th free kick of the season after being fouled for the second time of the match in the 18th minute. The Argentine opted to take a quick restart, lofting a ball into space, over the top of the Real Salt Lake defense. Barrios collected the pass, drew the attention of goalkeeper Jeff Attinella, and slid a pass inside to Acosta. The Plano native took a touch and knocked a simple pass into the back of the net to put FC Dallas up 1-0. The assist was Diaz’s sixth of the season, tying him with New England’s Lee Nguyen for second in MLS.
Dallas nearly tucked a second goal away just before halftime when Diaz curled a long free kick to the back post. FC Dallas captain Matt Hedges won the header cleanly, but was unable to direct the header on frame. The ball cleared Attinella before landing on top of the Real Salt Lake goal.
The home side ended the first half with a 59-41 edge in possession.
With his back to goal, Diaz fed Fabian Castillo with a bicycle-kick assist in the 58th minute. The Argentine measured the pass before the ball arrived at his feet, and once it did, lifted a ball into space for Castillo while falling onto his back. Castillo collected the brilliant pass just outside the area, stepped to the inside, and picked out the far corner of the net with a right-footed shot for his fourth goal of the season.
Atiba Harris set the table for Tesho to make it 3-0 in the 87th minute, when the St. Kitts and Nevis defender crossed a ball in to the top right corner of the six-yard box. Tesho won the header, but Attinella made a save, high to his left side to keep the match 2-0.
Seconds later, Carlos Lizarazo nearly scored his first MLS goal when Diaz put Castillo in on goal once again. Castillo did well to slide his cross in on the ground to his fellow Colombian, but Attinella came across his line to make another outstanding stop, his best of the night and his third of the match.
At the opposite end of the pitch, FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz recorded his career-high fourth shutout of his MLS career without making a save. Seitz also matched his career high in wins for a single season with his seventh of the 2016 season.
The win is Dallas’ ninth of the season, matching the Colorado (9-2-5) for the most in the league this year. FC Dallas hosts the Rapids this Wednesday, June 29, in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup action. The match is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Scoring Summary:
DAL: Kellyn Acosta (Michael Barrios, Mauro Diaz) 18
DAL: Fabian Castillo (Mauro Diaz) 58
FC Dallas – Chris Seitz, Maynor Figueroa, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Hedges, Atiba Harris, Kellyn Acosta, Carlos Gruezo (Victor Ulloa 86), Fabian Castillo, Mauro Diaz, Michael Barrios (Carlos Lizarazo 79), Maxi Urruti (Tesho Akindele 70).
Substitutes Not Used: Jesse Gonzalez, Juan Esteban Ortiz, Agustin Jara, Colin Bonner.
Real Salt Lake – Jeff Attinella, Phanuel Kavita, Jamison Olave, Boyd Okwuonu, Omar Holness, Chris Wingert, Luke Mulholland (Demar Phillips 67), John Stertzer, Devon Sandoval, Jordan Allen, Olmes Garcia.
Substitutes Not Used: Tony Beltran, Joao Plata, Yura Movsisyan, Justen Glad, Nick Rimando.
Misconduct Summary:
DAL: Walker Zimmerman (caution) 49
DAL: Mauro Diaz (caution) 51
RSL: Omar Holness (caution) 82
Referee: Drew Fischer
AR1 (bench): Claudiu Badea; AR2 (opposite): Adam Garner; 4th: Sorin Stoica
Weather: Cloudy, 91
Attendance: 13,128
