Top 5 Goals
FRISCO, Texas - Ahh, the offseason. It's a time to think back to games gone by, scroll Twitter furiously for transfer rumors, and, of course, make your Top 5 lists from the previous season. That's what I do, anyway.
We'll start with the most fun: Top 5 goals. Remember, these lists are always subjective so please feel free to disagree with me and give your own Top 5s.
In the words of Twitter rumor aficionado Fabrizio Romano, Here We Go!
5. Jesús Ferreira vs. LAFC | June 29
FC Dallas’ leading scorer for 2022 leads off. Jesús Ferreira scored 18 goals this season but this free kick against LAFC lands him in the Top 5 as he fooled goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau into stepping off his line before sending a looping ball just underneath the crossbar from nearly 40 yards. The goal could easily be listed higher than #5 but Ferreira admitted in the postgame press conferenc that his attempt was initially meant to be a cross. It’s still a beautiful goal, and I appreciate Ferreira's honestly, but it takes just a little bit of the shine off.
4. Paul Arriola vs. Minnesota United | May 22
Next up is Paul Arriola’s long-range blast against Minnesota United. Arriola enjoyed the most prolific season of his career by scoring 10 league goals and none were better than this one—which came during his five-game scoring run that earned him MLS Player of the Month honors. With FCD trailing 2-0, Arriola cut in from the left wing and sent a rocket past All-Star ‘keeper Dayne St. Clair. It’s a position many players would’ve tried to curl it around the goalkeeper but the fact that Arriola opted to beat St. Clair with pure power from such a distance makes it that much better.
3. Alan Velasco vs. Sporting KC | April 30
We’re only three goals in but we already have another free kick. This one is courtesy of Alan Velasco and it was \almost\ certainly intentional. The ball was placed just outside the box but the angle was so acute a shot didn’t seem viable. Velasco disagreed and sent a curling and dipping effort over ‘keeper Tim Melia and perfectly into the upper side netting. SKC defender Kortne Ford did get a slight touch on it with his head on the goal line but it didn't affect the flight much at all. It wasn’t Velasco’s only successful free kick this season but, for my money, it was his best.
2. Brandon Servania vs. Colorado Rapids | April 10
Brandon Servania's goal against the Rapids defies everything I know about physics (which isn't a lot, to be fair). Dallas had been outplayed for much of the first half until added time when Marco Farfan played a short free kick to Alan Velasco who then laid it off to Servania. The Homegrown midfielder then wound up from a full 40 yards and unleashed a shot that knuckled and dipped wickedly under the crossbar and passed William Yarbrough in goal. The dipping shot is something of a specialty for Servania but he hasn't caught any as sweetly as this one back in April.
1. Alan Velasco vs. Nashville SC | March 12
FC Dallas' longtime play-by-play man Mark Followill said it best: "You only get a chance to make a first impression one time. And what an impression from Alan Velasco!!" Velasco had only joined the club a few weeks prior to his mazy run against Nashville on March 12. And it wasn't just the four defenders he beat on the dribble, the speed at which he drove at their backline, or the instinctive left-footed finish that evaded Joe Willis in goal. It was the fact that Velasco - signed as a Designated Player destined to take the club to greater heights - did those things just minutes into his FC Dallas debut and in front of his new supporters. That's what makes this goal so great. That's why it's #1 on this list.