FRISCO, Texas -- FC Dallas defeated Chivas USA, 3-1, tonight in front of 15,564 fans at Toyota Stadium. Fabian Castillo, Je-Vaughn Watson and Michel scored for Dallas, which improved to 2-0-1(7 points) on the season.
FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja was forced to make an early substitution in just the 11th minute when defensive midfielder Adam Moffat, who was making the 100th start of his MLS career, suffered an injury. Andrew Jacobson, who started and captained the side in the first two matches of the season, came on in place of Moffat.
Five minutes later, FC Dallas had its first scoring opportunity of the game when Castillo split a pair of Chivas USA defenders and sent a through ball forward for Mauro Diaz. The Argentine midfielder was first to the ball, but could only poke a shot off Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, who charged off his line to make the first save of the night.
FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz made his first save of the match in the 21st minute when Chivas USA midfielder Leandro Barrera collected a pass 30 yards from goal and sped into the area. Barrera cut around a defender, off to the left side of the goal, and attempted to beat Seitz to the near post but the 6-4 goalkeeper was in perfect position to knock the shot down and gobble up the rebound.
Watson nearly put Dallas up 1-0 in the 28th minute. Blas Perez sent a cross into the area that was chipped backwards by Castillo, directly into the path of the Jamaican midfielder, but Watson was unable to keep his full-volley attempt under the bar.
The building pressure resulted in a corner kick for FC Dallas a few seconds later. Diaz bent a perfect ball into the area, where Perez re-directed a sharp header on goal, but once again Kennedy came up with a save to keep the match scoreless.
Dallas ended the first half with a 67-33 edge in time of possession.
Just 22 minutes into the second half, Pareja was once again forced to replace a defensive midfielder as Jacobson picked up an injury. This time it was a striker that came on for the injured midfielder as Dallas shifted its formation to a 4-4-2 to accommodate David Texeira in the 67th minute.
The change paid off instantly as Dallas earned two quick free kick opportunities. The first resulted in a free header for Texeira, but the Uruguayan was unable to direct his shot on goal. Moments later, Diaz lobbed the second set piece into the area, where Hendry Thomas rose above the pack to flick a ball to Castillo, who finished the chance for his second goal of the year.
FC Dallas took a 2-0 lead in the 78th minute when Diaz played a 50-yard through ball to Watson, which was directed towards the top left corner of the area. A Chivas USA defender was first on the scene and sent an attempted back pass towards Kennedy, but the ball was intercepted by Watson. The Jamaican side-stepped Kennedy before sending a simple pass into the back of the net for the two-goal lead.
Chivas USA pulled a goal back in the 81st minute. Substitute Adolfo Bautista worked the ball out wide to Kristopher Tyrpak, who sent a low cross into the area for a cutting Erick Torres. Torres was marked tightly, but still managed to get a first-time shot off, beating Seitz to his right side to make the score, 2-1.
Fortunately for Dallas, Pareja’s third substitute Michel – the only one he was not forced to make due to an injury – scored via free kick in the 86th minute to make it a 3-1 game. For Michel, it was the second week in a row in which he came off the bench late and was involved in a goal off of a set piece.
Scoring Summary:
DAL – Fabian Castillo (Hendry Thomas, Mauro Diaz) 72
DAL – Je-Vaughn Watson 78
CHV – Erick Torres (Kristopher Tyrpak, Adolfo Bautista) 81
DAL – Michel 86
FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja was forced to make an early substitution in just the 11th minute when defensive midfielder Adam Moffat, who was making the 100th start of his MLS career, suffered an injury. Andrew Jacobson, who started and captained the side in the first two matches of the season, came on in place of Moffat.
Five minutes later, FC Dallas had its first scoring opportunity of the game when Castillo split a pair of Chivas USA defenders and sent a through ball forward for Mauro Diaz. The Argentine midfielder was first to the ball, but could only poke a shot off Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, who charged off his line to make the first save of the night.
FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz made his first save of the match in the 21st minute when Chivas USA midfielder Leandro Barrera collected a pass 30 yards from goal and sped into the area. Barrera cut around a defender, off to the left side of the goal, and attempted to beat Seitz to the near post but the 6-4 goalkeeper was in perfect position to knock the shot down and gobble up the rebound.
Watson nearly put Dallas up 1-0 in the 28th minute. Blas Perez sent a cross into the area that was chipped backwards by Castillo, directly into the path of the Jamaican midfielder, but Watson was unable to keep his full-volley attempt under the bar.
The building pressure resulted in a corner kick for FC Dallas a few seconds later. Diaz bent a perfect ball into the area, where Perez re-directed a sharp header on goal, but once again Kennedy came up with a save to keep the match scoreless.
Dallas ended the first half with a 67-33 edge in time of possession.
Just 22 minutes into the second half, Pareja was once again forced to replace a defensive midfielder as Jacobson picked up an injury. This time it was a striker that came on for the injured midfielder as Dallas shifted its formation to a 4-4-2 to accommodate David Texeira in the 67th minute.
The change paid off instantly as Dallas earned two quick free kick opportunities. The first resulted in a free header for Texeira, but the Uruguayan was unable to direct his shot on goal. Moments later, Diaz lobbed the second set piece into the area, where Hendry Thomas rose above the pack to flick a ball to Castillo, who finished the chance for his second goal of the year.
FC Dallas took a 2-0 lead in the 78th minute when Diaz played a 50-yard through ball to Watson, which was directed towards the top left corner of the area. A Chivas USA defender was first on the scene and sent an attempted back pass towards Kennedy, but the ball was intercepted by Watson. The Jamaican side-stepped Kennedy before sending a simple pass into the back of the net for the two-goal lead.
Chivas USA pulled a goal back in the 81st minute. Substitute Adolfo Bautista worked the ball out wide to Kristopher Tyrpak, who sent a low cross into the area for a cutting Erick Torres. Torres was marked tightly, but still managed to get a first-time shot off, beating Seitz to his right side to make the score, 2-1.
Fortunately for Dallas, Pareja’s third substitute Michel – the only one he was not forced to make due to an injury – scored via free kick in the 86th minute to make it a 3-1 game. For Michel, it was the second week in a row in which he came off the bench late and was involved in a goal off of a set piece.
Scoring Summary:
DAL – Fabian Castillo (Hendry Thomas, Mauro Diaz) 72
DAL – Je-Vaughn Watson 78
CHV – Erick Torres (Kristopher Tyrpak, Adolfo Bautista) 81
DAL – Michel 86
