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FC Dallas Continues to Dominate at Home, Knocks off Vancouver, 2-0

April 21, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


FRISCO, Texas - FC Dallas (6-1-1, 19 points) scored in each half and picked up its fifth shutout of the season in a 2-0 win against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at FC Dallas Stadium tonight.

By the 16th minute, FC Dallas already had three chances to take the lead narrowly miss the mark.

The first opportunity came in just the second minute, when Blas Perez intercepted a clearance attempt from a Whitecaps FC defender and cracked a shot on goal with his first touch. The shot forced goalkeeper Joe Cannon to make a diving save to his right side.

It was Kenny Cooper's turn in the 11th minute, when defender Zach Loyd knocked a lead pass into space for the forward. Cooper also utilized his first touch, sending a rocket shot at Cannon from the top right corner of the area. Vancouver's goalkeeper stood his ground and managed to get a finger to the knuckling ball, pushing the shot just over the crossbar.

FC Dallas' best opportunity came in the 16th minute. Jackson received a pass on the right flank and bent a perfect cross in to the head of Perez. The Panamanian striker did all he could to score, redirecting a hard shot on goal with his forehead, but the chance was directly at Cannon, who punched the ball away to keep the match scoreless.

Cannon was finally beaten in the 29th minute following an FC Dallas corner kick taken by David Ferreira. The former MLS MVP swung a pass into the near post where defender Matt Hedges was making his run. Hedges fooled the Whitecaps FC defense by jumping out of the way at the last second and allowing the ball to run through the area. The ball bounced inside the six-yard box before striking Vancouver's Brad Rusin in the back and ricocheting across the goal line to give FC Dallas the first goal of the game for the eighth-straight match.

Vancouver's best opportunity to equalize came in the 41st minute. Nigel Reo-Coker received a pass just inside the left corner of the area and sent a bending cross to the back post. FC Dallas goalkeeper Raul Fernandez was able to get a hand to the shot, but was not able to avoid giving up a rebound. Vancouver's Matt Watson was first to the loose ball and looked to have scored easily until defender George John made a goal-saving slide tackle to knock the ball wide of the goal.

The slide-tackle from John improved FC Dallas' streak of first-half shutouts to a perfect eight-for-eight this season.

FC Dallas took a 2-0 lead in the 50th minute on a goal scored by Perez. The play began when a shot attempt by defender Jair Benitez was blocked. This time, it was Cooper who was first to the loose ball. The forward once again ripped a shot towards goal with his first touch. As the ball crossed into the area, it struck a Vancouver defender in the leg, redirecting into the path of Perez, who finished his third goal of the season with a simple header.

Vancouver nearly cut the two-goal deficit in half in the 82nd minute after earning a free kick just outside the area. Second-half substitute Camilo Sanvezzo opted to take the kick, bending a hard shot around the wall and at the back post. The ball swerved hard to its left after passing by the wall, just missing the left post behind Fernandez.

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Major League Soccer Stories from April 21, 2013


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