VANCOUVER — An announced 21,190 supporters came out Sunday for what was a crucial match for the Vancouver Whitecaps in their race to the MLS Cup playoffs.
The Whitecaps were the better side for much of the match, but FC Dallas was more clinical and the Texas-based club walked away with the three points after a 2-1 victory.
“Same, again. After a lot of hard work to get back into the game, we concede yet again in the 86th minute with a man free in the box,” Vancouver coach Carl Robinson said, summing up the game after the match.
It was a conservative start to the proceedings. Both sides were mostly entangled in the midfield battle, with FC Dallas having a small advantage in the first 15 minutes with 56 percent of possession.
Neither side managed a shot on target for the opening 23 minutes, but Vancouver had a penalty shot denied in the 20′ minute after Kei Kamara’s volley was stopped by the outstretched arm of Victor Ulloa.
Just three minutes later, there finally was a first shot on goal. Cristian Techera broke through on the right flank and hit the ball full stride. The shot beat Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez, but also hit the crossbar.
What followed was several minutes of disarray for Dallas. Gonzalez failed to clear the ball in the 25th minute, hitting Kamara in the head instead. The Vancouver striker was too surprised to capitalize, however.
One minute later, Gonzalez was once again in trouble as he attempted to fist away a cross. The ball fell short, but once again no Whitecaps player could capitalize. Then, in the 33rd minute, Alphonso Davies made a great run on the right and cut into the box, unleashing a low drive that was stopped by Gonzalez.
The Whitecaps should have been up by one or two, but instead FC Dallas converted itsr first chance of the match.
Awarded a free kick in the 42nd minute, Dallas’ Maximiliano Urruti on the right flank brought in a precise cross that found the head of striker Santiago Mosquera. His header beat Stefan Marinović at the far post to give Dallas a 1-0 lead.
The goal put the match on its head heading into halftime. It also gave Dallas some confidence.
Pressing much higher than in the first 45 minutes, Dallas had the game under control and created chances at the start of the second half. In the 53rd minute, Michael Barrios’ low shot from the right side of the box was denied by Marinović.
Now, it was Vancouver’s turn. Alphonso Davies, breaking through on the left, spotted Kamara free inside the area, and the tall striker made no mistake heading home a perfect cross to make it 1-1 after 66 minutes.
“The game is close week in, and week out, but it is the details in your job that decide games,” Robinson said after the match.
That detail was a set piece for FC Dallas, which would produce the winner in the 87th minute. Urruti swung in a corner from the left, which was extended by Barrios and then found Hedges wide open in the box. The FC Dallas captain made no mistake to get the ball across the line, producing the winner for Dallas.
“They score set pieces. It is my fault I am the leader of this ship,” Robinson concluded.
Lineups
Vancouver Whitecaps (4-2-2-2)
Marinovic – Levis (Mezquida, 46′), Henry, Waston, Nerwinski – Teibert, Ghazal (Mutch, 63′) – Davies, Techera – Reyna, Kamara
FC Dallas (4-2-3-1)
Gonzalez – Pedroso, Ziegler, Hedges, Cannon – Ulloa, Gruezo – Mosquera (Figueroa, 83′), Urruti (Aránguiz, 88′) Barrios – Colmán (Akindele, 77′)