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MLS FC Dallas

FC Dallas Earns Crucial Point in Seattle

September 19, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


Seattle, Wash. - FC Dallas earns its first clean sheet in eight matches and gains a valuable point to move above the playoff line into seventh place in the Western Conference standings.

Game Summary

First Half:

5' - Joevin Jones got down the wing and whipped in a cross and Cristian Roldan could only guide his shot wide from six yards.

9' - A quick free kick by Bryan Acosta found Michael Barrios, but his shot was blocked by Roldan.

18' - Michael Barrios brought the ball down on his chest and played in Jesús Ferreira, who couldn't get enough power on the shot to trouble Stefan Frei.

39' - Roldan collected a 50/50 ball and strode forward, but he pulled his shot wide from just outside the box.

43' - A miscommunication at the back allowed the ball to bounce to Raúl Ruidíaz, but Reto Ziegler managed to get across and block the shot.

Second Half:

52' - Paxton Pomykal drifted past his man and played an early cross in, and Barrios was able to direct the ball goalwards, but his shot was straight at Frei.

55' - Jones found space on the left side and his cross was just behind Roldan who could only scoop his shot over the bar.

75' - Jones gave two defenders the slip and chipped a cross over the defense to Morris, whose shot rippled the side netting with Jesse Gonzalez stranded.

86' - Barrios isolated Xavier Arreaga and forced the defender to bring him down, resulting in a second yellow card.

Lineups:

FC Dallas - Jesse González; Bressan (Reggie Cannon - 73'), Matt Hedges, Reto Ziegler, Ryan Hollingshead; Brandon Servania, Bryan Acosta, Jesús Ferreira (Jacori Hayes - 76'); Paxton Pomykal, Michael Barrios, Dominique Badji (Santiago Mosquera - 81').

Substitutes not used - Jimmy Maurer, John Nelson, Edwin Cerrillo, Zdenek Ondrasek.

Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee, Xavier Arreaga, Nouhou Tolo (Víctor Rodríguez - 65'); Gustav Svensson, Jordy Delem (Jordan Morris - 73'); Cristian Roldan, Nicolás Lodeiro, Joevin Jones; Raúl Ruidíaz (Harry Shipp - 90'+3').

Substitutes not used - Bryan Meredith, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Luis Silva, Emanuel Cecchini.

Scoring Summary:

None

Misconduct Summary:

SEA: Xavier Arreaga (caution) - 25'

FCD: Ryan Hollingshead (caution) - 67'

SEA: Xavier Arreaga (ejection) - 86'

SEA: Kim Kee-hee (caution) - 90'+11'

Weather: Clear, 61

Attendance: 37,722

Referee: Drew Fischer

Assistant Referees: Gianni Facchini, Gjovalin Bori

4th Official: Mark Allatin

VAR: Ricardo Salazar

FC Dallas Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez

On his overall thoughts on the game...

"Good point, positive point. The boys showed a good reaction from the last game to come to a difficult place to earn points. I thought we were really disciplined as a block and still had moments of high press. We wanted to make it difficult for them to play out and then remain in low blocks which they had us in a few times especially at the end, so we needed to show the sacrifice and suffering for each other to keep them away from our box. So we prevailed defensively and kept zero in our net so that is positive. Offensively, we got near the box and into open space to create quick attacks, and we didn't get one so we want to keep coming for that no matter where we play and we have to be proud of the boys to respond and show defensive effort like that coming after a disappointing result against Chicago and to do that now against Seattle so that's a positive step for us and now we want to take that foundation, that defensive solidity and implement a little more aggressiveness to attack and the opportunity we have on Sunday against NYCFC."

On chasing a playoff spot...

"Every point counts, every team is trying to inch their way above the playoff line. The positive is that those teams in a playoff situation are playing each other, so they could be taking points off each other, but we can't control that, we can only see what happens but we have to keep taking care of our business, we have three games left, and two games at home and the next opportunity is to maximize all three points from all three games, and take it one game at a time."

On the new position for Paxton Pomykal...

"Without the ball he is a discipline player, he is making a good effort to stay connected with the full back and make it a 2-versus-2 on the ball defensively and he made that sacrifice tonight. With the ball he is smart, he helps on the build and he can hurt on the dribble, carrying the ball he can hurt with the movement between the lines and combinations. He got a few good services and we'd like to get him closer in and around the box to get on the end of something, but he showed some good versatility to play a position he normally doesn't play for us."

FC Dallas midfielder Jacori Hayes

Overall thoughts on tonight's match...

"I thought we played a good game. We did tactically the things we had set out to do when we trained at the beginning of the week. It's a tough atmosphere to play here and to walk away with a point is good. We always want three points, but we'll take the point and focus on the next few games."

On earning a shutout in CenturyLink Field following the 4-0 loss in Chicago...

"We are all proud of the response we had. We didn't have the best game in Chicago, but we all moved passed that and we were able to focus. Seattle is a tough team and tough place to play, but we were very focused and accomplished things that we wanted to. Unfortunate not to get the goal or anything but we got a good point."

On the importance on earning points in the finals matches of the season...

"It's huge. That's our goal right now. From second to eighth is really tight in the West and all these points matter, so we are going to make the most of them when we go back home."

FC Dallas midfielder Paxton Pomykal

On getting back above the playoff line...

"Good performance. Especially on the road in a tough environment. Obviously, when they went down [a player], we wanted to push the game so we're happy with a point but at the same time we came here to win at the end, so it's bittersweet. Overall, we can take a lot of good things from this performance and move on and focus on Sunday."

On getting a shutout following loss in Chicago...

"Yeah, it's massive. Letting up four goals on the road in Chicago in crunch time is bad, and this team responds. We responded again, and to come to Seattle, in a place where it has been a fortress for them for a long time and basically give them not very many opportunities to go ahead is a big feat and we're proud of the effort we gave tonight."

On playing on the wing instead of the middle...

"Positionally it's a little different but ultimately, I have to defend and attack the same way I would in the midfield. The way we played today especially, we needed help Badji and I, and Santi when he came in on the wing to track back. Their full backs were playing really high, so it was important for us to help our outside backs today, and whether I'm in the middle or the wing, I have to do the job. Today was the wing and I thought our wingers and midfield, the whole team did a really good job today defensively, so we have to take that as a positive."

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