Avila's Late Goal Boosts FC Dallas Past Real Salt Lake 2-1
Published on October 30, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release
FRISCO, Texas (Oct. 30, 2010) - FC Dallas midfielder Eric Avila needed just one minute to score his first career playoff goal, blasting a shot just inside the far post in the 88th minute to give FC Dallas a 2-1 win over defending MLS Champion Real Salt Lake.
MLS MVP candidate David Ferreira beat a trio of Real Salt Lake defenders before slipping a pass to Avila, who had subbed on in the 87th minute. Avila took the pass in stride and cut hard to his left before taking the game-winning shot.
FC Dallas went down a goal early when Real Salt Lake's Fabian Espindola got through the back line and scored in just the fifth minute of the game. The score stayed at 1-0 until nearly the end of the first half when Jeff Cunningham leveled the match, 1-1, on an unassisted strike for his fifth career playoff score. Cunningham had subbed on in the 32nd minute for an injured Milton Rodriguez.
The win gives FC Dallas a one-goal advantage heading into the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinal, which will be played at Real Salt Lake's Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 9 p.m. Central Time. Should FC Dallas tie or win at Salt Lake, the Dallas side would advance to the Western Conference Final. Real Salt Lake has never won a match at Pizza Hut Park, but is undefeated in their last 25 games at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Real Salt Lake's Javier Morales was issued a red card in the 69th minute after earning his second caution of the match for a high kick on Dax McCarty. Just six minutes later, FC Dallas midfielder Atiba Harris was sent off for a reckless challenge. Both players will serve a one-game suspension and are unavailable for the second leg of the series.
About the Western Conference Semifinal
The Western Conference Semifinal Series is contested as an aggregate goals series in which no weight is placed on away goals. Should FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake be tied in overall goals across the two games at the end of regulation of the second leg in Sandy, the squads will square off in a 30-minute mini-game (played in its entirety) to determine a winner. Should that end even, the teams will then decide advancement to the Western Conference Championship by kicks from the penalty spot.
Major League Soccer Stories from October 30, 2010
- Late Goal Sends Real Salt Lake To 1-2 Defeat - Real Salt Lake
- Avila's Late Goal Boosts FC Dallas Past Real Salt Lake 2-1 - FC Dallas
- Game Notes - Western Conference Semifinal Leg 1 - Sounders FC Vs. Los Angeles - Seattle Sounders FC
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