Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
Brek Shea had himself an interesting day at the office on Wednesday.
Playing against his own club, Shea drew a first-half penalty, scored the game-winning goal and was sent off as the nine-man U.S. Under-23 national team held on to defeat FC Dallas, 2-1, in a scrimmage in Frisco, Texas.
Shea scored the game-winner in the 51st minute, finishing after latching onto a ball over the top from Freddy Adu, who earlier took the penalty that Shea drew but had his spot kick saved by Kevin Hartman.
Shea was then sent off for picking up his second yellow card of the match after committing a foul on FCD trialist Daniel Osorno in the 75th minute. He was the second U-23 player to be sent off, after Houston Dynamo right back Kofi Sarkodie got his marching orders in the 58th minute for picking up his second yellow for a foul on Fabian Castillo.
The MLS side had taken the lead early on after Andrew Jacobson scored off a Castillo corner kick in the 15th minute, but the U-23s responded in kind when Ike Opara headed home Adu's corner four minutes later.
The match also marked the return of 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira to competitive action for the first time since he was injured last April. Ferreira entered as a substitute in the 36th minute before exiting in the 58th in favor of Osorno for FCD, which had a first-choice lineup on the field, for the exception of Shea.
Caleb Porter sent out his starting XI in a 4-3-3, with Bill Hamid starting in goal; Sarkodie, Zarek Valentin, Opara and Jorge Villafana forming the back line; Amobi Okugo, Jared Jeffrey and Adu in the midfield; and Shea, Teal Bunbury and Juan Agudelo playing up top.
Sean Johnson, Greg Garza, Perry Kitchen, Dilly Duka, Michael Stephens and Tony Taylor entered at halftime, replacing Hamid, Villafana, Opara, Jeffrey, Agudelo and Bunbury.
Porter did not have his complete roster at his disposal, as some of the abroad-based players have not yet arrived in camp. According to a U.S. Soccer release, Terrence Boyd is slated to arrive Thursday, Sebastien Lletget will join the fold on Saturday and Joe Corona, Mix Diskerud, Joe Gyau and Alfredo Morales are due in camp on Sunday.