Chris Seitz and the FC Dallas defense earn its first shutout since March 26; extend regular season home unbeaten streak to 12 games, the second-longest run in franchise history
FRISCO, Texas (Saturday, May 14) – FC Dallas (7-4-2, 23 points) used goals from Mauro Diaz and Michael Barrios, 77 minutes apart, to defeat Seattle Sounders FC (4-5-1, 13 points) tonight at Toyota Stadium.
Seattle had the first chance of the game in the first minute. Erik Friberg put Herculez Gomez through and the forward had a clean look at FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz from well outside the 18-yard box. Gomez opted to dribble towards net but Seitz made himself as big as possible and cut down on the striker’s angle on goal. Fortunately for Dallas, Seitz stood his grond and Gomez’s shot attempt skipped wide of the far post.
Man of the match from FC Dallas’ victory Wednesday against Portland, Ryan Hollingshead was robbed of his second goal in four days when he headed a corner kick from Mauro Diaz towards the back post. Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei made an outstanding save to his left side, slapping away the headed shot in the second minute of the match.
Wylie, Texas, native Victor Ulloa kept the play alive by stopping a clearance attempt and chipping a pass into the area, where Tesho Akindele redirected a header to Walker Zimmerman, who was still up in the area from his defensive position for the corner kick. Seattle defender Chad Marshall fought with Zimmerman for the loose ball and referee Ricardo Salazar pointed to the spot as soon as the center back fell to the turf. Diaz stepped to the spot for Dallas and buried his second of the season, high to the right side of Frei, putting FCD up 1-0 in the third minute.
Seitz made his first official save on Joevin Jones in the 16th minute, once again coming off his line to challenge the shooter on a breakaway. Jones’ shot caught a piece of Seitz’s left calf and tricked wide of the far post. Just two minutes later, Friberg served a cross in from the right flank and found rookie Jordan Morris. Fortunately for Dallas, the forward’s header was sent down, directly into the stomach of Seitz.
FC Dallas nearly took a two-goal lead in the 58th minute, when a build-up resulted in a chance on goal for Michael Barrios, thanks to a cutting pass played between a pair of Sounders FC defenders by Diaz. Barrios got to the ball just ahead of Frei and was able to direct the ball on goal, but the first-touch shot caught the right shoulder of the goalkeeper to keep the score, 1-0, with just over 30 minutes left to play.
FC Dallas did take a 2-0 lead in the 80th minute. One minute after coming on for Diaz, Mauro Rosales played a crafty give-and-go over the top of the Seattle’s backline. Barrios took a touch inside the area and finished, hard and low to the back post.
Scoring Summary:
DAL: Mauro Diaz (PK) 3
DAL: Michael Barrios (Mauro Rosales) 80
FC Dallas – Chris Seitz, Maynor Figueroa, Walker Zimmerman, Zach Loyd, Ryan Hollingshead, Victor Ulloa, Carlos Gruezo, Michael Barrios, Mauro Diaz (Mauro Rosales 79), Fabian Castillo (Atiba Harris 71), Tesho Akindele (Kellyn Acosta 55).
Substitutes Not Used: Jesse Gonzalez, Juan Esteban Ortiz, Carlos Lizarazo, Timo Pitter.
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei, Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, Joevin James, Erik Friberg, Osvaldo Alonso, Cristian Roldan (Oalex Anderson 77), Clint Dempsey, Jordan Morris, Herculez Gomez (Andreas Ivanschitz 66).
Substitutes Not Used: Tyler Miller, Aaron Kovar, Dylan Remick, Nathan Sturgis, Zach Scott.
Misconduct Summary:
NONE
Referee: Ricardo Salazar.
AR1 (bench): Chris Strickland; AR2 (opposite): Claudio Badea; 4th: Rubiel Vazquez
Weather: Clear, 68
Attendance: 14,630
