FC Dallas went into Wednesday night’s showdown with the Seattle Sounders looking to secure their own place in the MLS playoffs. One emphatic victory later, and FC Dallas look ready to do more than just squeeze into the postseason.
Powered by a pair of David Texeira goals, FC Dallas topped the Seattle Sounders, 3-1, on Wednesday night. Texeira scored goals in each half, while Blas Perez headed home an insurance tally late in the Western Conference clash.
The victory moved FC Dallas to within a point of Real Salt Lake for third place in the West, while the defeat gave Seattle it’s first losing streak of any length this season, coming on the heels of Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls.
Playing without injured speedster Fabian Castillo, FC Dallas finished its chances well, with Texeira opening the scoring with an eighth-minute strike.
Seattle had the better of the play for most of the match, but failed to create dangerous chances to test FC Dallas goalkeeper Raul Fernandez.
The Sounders finally broke through in the 58th minute when Lamar Neagle, who had come into the match as a substitute just one minute earlier, blasted a long-range right-footed shot into the top corner, past Fernandez, to tie the match.
The Sounders looked like they might take control after Neagle’s goal, but Texeira gave FC Dallas the lead back in the 78th minute when he finished off a sequence sparked by a mazy run from Andres Escobar, who helped fill the void left by Castillo’s absence by running at Seattle’s defense and setting up Texeira for the winning goal.
Perez capped the victory with an 88th-minute header that marked FC Dallas’ first victory against the Sounders this season after two previous losses.
The Sounders will look to rebound with a victory against lowly Chivas USA on Saturday, while FC Dallas take on struggling Vancouver on Saturday.
Here are the match highlights:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgKwCTi_7xs?list=UUSZbXT5TLLW_i-5W8FZpFsg]