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FC Dallas overcomes red card to top RSL

FCDallasRSL (USATodaySports)

By TYLER GRAY

Two hot teams and an even hotter evening set the stage for an unforgettable performance from FC Dallas on Friday night.

A first-half red card sent off Blas Perez and looked like it might doom FC Dallas, but they scored two goals while down a man to silence Real Salt Lake, 2-1, and vault themselves into a three-way tie for first place in the Western Conference. Goals from Je-Vaughn Watson and Fabian Castillo stunned a visiting RSL.

The match was testy from the beginning, with both  Perez and teammate Michel picking up early yellow cards.

Things got even more interesting in the 45th minute, when an altercation between Perez and RSL defender Chris Schuler resulted in the Panamanian sent off with his second yellow.

Schuler was fighting for position to win a header when Perez went down under the challenge. The RSL defender thought he went down a little too easily and shoved him in the chest when Perez tried to stand up. The Panamanian embellished his fall and was shown his second yellow of the night. Schuler also received a yellow for his contribution.

Despite being shorthanded, the home side got on the board first when Michel’s corner kick found Watson. The defender chested the ball on goal and put Dallas up 1-0 in the 50th minute of play.

RSL had a number of half-chances in the second period, but were unable to truly threaten and the home side made them pay in the 74th minute.

Just minutes after skying a chance after getting in behind the opposing defense, Castillo put Dallas up 2-0. The speedy Colombian continued his torrid run of form when he charged into the box and blasted a powerful shot that slipped under the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

Real Salt Lake forward Olmes Garcia stole a goal in stoppage time when his mini-bicycle kick was deflected by the Dallas defense and snuck inside the near post, making it 2-1 in the 92nd minute.

Castillo’s goal would hold up for Dallas in the end, however, as they stretched their unbeaten streak to 10 games.

Comments

  1. Bradley’s comments a few weeks ago about MLS referees generally being terrible were right on. Thie Blas Perez was a classic example. An idiot knows you can’t give a yellow for pushing and at the same time a second yellow to the player who got pushed for falling down. If the push was not enough to knock the player down or way back it wasn’t really deserving of a yellow. Once Shuller got the yellow, the correct call, only an idiot or a total RSL homer can justify giving Perez the yellow.

    If the MLS wants to grow as a league and have soccer grow as a sport they cannot continue to support ridiculously bad calls. Thie current approach of the MLS is the same as the WWE, which us a sham sport. The NFL admits when it’s refs error, and this is one reason the sport has fan credibility. If the Perez yellow is not overturned and the ref is not dealt with, the MLS has no right yo consider itself anything but a sham league.

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  2. FCD have such a thuggish and unattractive style of play. Often effective but not the beautiful game by any means. One of my least favorite sides – right down there with San Jose.

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      • I know. It’s not like RSL don’t have a somewhat Thugish pair of CBs.

        I do however understand why everyone hates Blas. (Michel is a walking redcard too though.)

    • Thuggish FCD?…Um Schueller was about to drop the peoples elbow on Blas… give me a break…youve got to be kidding me.. smh.

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      • Sorry, not an RSL supporter but a lover of beautiful football. IMHO, FCD plays ugly football. Some great individual players (eg Castillo) but the overall style of play is ugly.

      • Not sure if you noticed, but we’re without a whole bunch of starters…we’ve got a few guys playing out of position as well, i.e. Loyd at CB and Watson at RB. If the squad is fully fit and every player is at 100%, the team would look different…and we’d be able to take on and take out anyone in the league.

        I should give props (as should everyone) to Acosta and Hollingshead for locking down that right side of attack for RSL in the second half. Oscar seems to be the “youth whisperer” and knows exactly when to throw a kid into the fire without getting burned.

      • Agreed, it was risky business to drop the kids in but Acosta has always shown well since last season and Hollingshead has been a bit of a blessing for the way he has stepped up.

        Many of us who follow the team heavily were surprised Hollingshead wasn’t loaned after taking the year long break before turning pro.

  3. Ref blew a few calls, not least of which will deny us Blas and Michel next match. I was afraid that Castillo was going to be off after that first real chance to go up 2-0 that he blasted way over, but Stu correctly pointed out that the ball took a bit of a bobble just before he hit it. If he can stay healthy and disciplined, he’s going to lead us to the Supporters’ Shield!

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    • I hate flopping as much as the average ‘murican but cracking down on the fouling in MLS needs to be the priority, not carding for simulation. I’ve always heard the english championship is all about physicality but I’ve been watching it this season and so far it is tame compared to MLS

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      • I suspect the reason he got the card is the same reason he always does, whenever he gets hit anywhere, he always comes up holding his face (in this case, his jaw). The contact didn’t occur anywhere close to his head, and he nearly did a backflip falling down.

        Perez is such an ass. Grabbing, diving, stamping, and pretending he gets hit in the face. These are a few of his favorite things.

      • Dude that call was horrible. The defender pushes blas down AFTER the play was dead. That shouldve been a red card. Instead he gives Blas another yellow when there was significant contact.

        The fact that Blas exagerrates is okay because he did get pushed down.

        Im not okay with flopping. But this wasnt a flop.

        Bad call.

      • It was really bad. The ref got asked by the Pool reporter what why he gave Perez the yellow. The answer is just bizarre.

        Apparently He gave Schuler the Yellow for pushing Perez.

        But then he gave Perez a yellow for “embellishing Contact.” How can a foul be bad enough for a yellow but still earn a yellow for “embellishing contact.” Perez is a master of the dark arts but he didn’t do anything here other than let let himself be pushed.

        If embellishing so bad why did, Borschers get to do a dramatic reenactment and not get a yellow?

        It made no sense.

        https://twitter.com/3rdDegreeNet/status/503029416432136192

      • The call was outstanding, and exactly what should be happening to stop the simulation and flopping. Yes, it was unsporting to push an opponent, thus the yellow. And yes it was unsporting to embellish, thus a correct yellow which in this case was a second. Would like to see more yellows for embellishment in the box, as that is constant, even in cases when the foul results in a penalty.

      • Outstanding??… how can you say that when the call was that there was a foul? …cards for embellishing little to no contact okay… but youve got to be kidding on this one… the player tried WWE wrestling moves on Blas..Thats are straight red.. play was dead and he made a forceful move on a player… makes no sense..

  4. Just got back from the game. Great atmosphere and fun at Toyota park for sure. When FCD are healthy and firing on all cylinders, watch out. This team is going to be tough to stop down the stretch. Solid, if not underrated, defense and an all star cast of attackers in good form.

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