FC Dallas (1-0-0, 3 points) gave up an early goal, but battled back to win, 3-2, against the Montreal Impact (0-1-0, 0 points) on a chilly night at Toyota Stadium.
FC Dallas started the match on its heels as the Impact applied pressure in the fourth minute. Hassoun Camara and Eric Miller nearly finished off a loose ball inside FC Dallas’ six-yard box but Jair Benitez was there to keep the ball from crossing the goal line before goalkeeper Chris Seitz recovered and fell on the rebound.
The buildup from Montreal continued and the Impact took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute on a goal scored by Sanna Nyassi. The Gambian was set up by Justin Mapp, who cruised by three defenders on the right side before chipping a cross to the back post. Nyassi was initially marked by FC Dallas Homegrown player Kellyn Acosta, but the youngster drifted over to the center of the six-yard box to defend against Felipe. When the cross narrowly missed Felipe’s head, Nyassi had time and space to knock a first-touch redirection past Seitz for the first goal of the game.
FC Dallas awoke immediately after surrendering a goal and Fabian Castillo pulled FC Dallas level in the 16th minute. The play began with Benitez lobbing a cross into the area that was controlled by Je-Vaughn Watson. The Jamaican battled with a Montreal defender for control of the ball and managed to direct a pass towards Blas Perez. With his back to goal, the FC Dallas forward knocked a pass into the path of Castillo with his right shoulder and the youngster slipped a low pass beyond the reach of Troy Perkins to make it a 1-1 game.
FC Dallas maintained its momentum through the 24th minute, when attacking midfielder Mauro Diaz weaved his way down the right flank and into Montreal’s 18-yard box. Diaz went to ground after a tackle from an Impact defender and referee Jorge Luna did not hesitate to point to the spot.
Perez converted the penalty kick for Dallas, hammering a high shot over the right shoulder of Perkins to give Dallas a 2-1 lead.
FC Dallas continued to push forward to start the second half and won a free kick in a very dangerous spot, just outside the area, after Camara was whistled for a hand ball. Diaz struck the free kick perfectly, bending a right-footed shot over the wall and into the top corner of the net to Perkin’s right side to give the home side a 3-1 lead in the 47th minute.
Felipe nearly made it a one-goal game in the 54th minute, when Matteo Ferrari crossed a ball to the back post on the ground. Felipe struck the ball towards the post, but Seitz was there to make a diving save to his right side to keep the two-goal lead in tact.
However, Montreal did get a goal back in the 65th minute when Felipe sent a cross into the area from the left flank. Andrew Wenger jumped in front of a defender to get a head on the pass, redirecting a shot to the back post to make it a 3-2 game.
Montreal continued to pester FC Dallas late in the match and came within inches of making it a 3-3 game in the 86th minute. A shot from outside the area took a deflection on its way to goal and forced another outstanding, left-handed save out of Seitz, who pushed the ball over the end line and out for a Montreal corner kick.
